Abstract
Summary: To further define developmental changes in bile acid metabolism, we determined the kinetics of taurocholate uptake by hepatocytes isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 56 days of age. There was a progressive increase in taurocholate uptake with age. The uptake process exhibited saturable kinetics in every age group with a maximum uptake velocity attained above a taurocholate concentration of 200 μ. There were no differences in Km values but Vmax increased progressively between 7 and 56 days of age. These data suggest that the deficit in hepatic excretory function observed in immature mammals of several species may, in part, be related to decreased transport of bile acids.
Speculation: Impaired transport of bile acids by the liver may limit bile flow during development and lead to inefficient fat digestion, altered hepatic excretion of drugs, and an increased susceptibility to cholestasis. Comparable Km values for the uptake process indicate that hepatocyte affinity for taurocholate remains constant during development; whereas the rise in Vmax with postnatal age may reflect an increase in the number of binding sites. Specific changes in the liver cell plasma membrane are likely to be important determinants of the ontogeny of bile acid transport and bile flow.
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Suchy, F., Balistreri, W. Uptake of Taurocholate by Hepatocytes Isolated from Developing Rats. Pediatr Res 16, 282–285 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198204000-00007
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198204000-00007
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