Biliary Secretion in Conscious Rabbits: Role of the Enterohepatic Circulation of Bile Salts and of the Gall Bladder

Abstract

SUMMARYThe role of enterohepatic circulation of bile salts in biliary secretion in conscious rabbits has been investigated before and after cholecystectomy. Bile flow was higher and bile salt concentration lower in cholecystectomized than in intact rabbits: this could have been caused by a negative feed-back effect on bile salt synthesis as the circulating bile salt pool increased. The effects of cholecystectomy on flow and bile salt concentration balanced each other. Bile flow and bile salt concentration declined after interruption of the enterohepatic circulation in both cholecystectomized and intact rabbits. Furthermore, the percentage of the flow of bile independent of bile salt secretion increased, while that independent of total analysed solutes decreased after the enterohepatic circulation was broken. These results confirm that the decrease in bile flow after interruption of the enterohepatic circulation is due to loss of bile salts and not of electrolytes.

Effect of pentobarbital or urethane on bile secretion and chemical composition of blood in the rabbit

“…The values obtained were similar to those previously reported by Klaassen (1974) and Esteller, Lopez and Murillo (1977) for urethane-anaesthetized animals and by Shaw and Heath (1974) and Esteller, Jimenez and Lopez (1981) for un anaesthetized animals, although they were lower than those reported by other workers for rabbits anaesthetized with pentobarbital (Erlinger et al, 1970) or for unanaesthetized animals (DiPadova et al, 1981). The data for bile acid output did not explain the differences in bile flow under the anaesthetics and point to the notion that such differences would not be related to bile-acidCollado, Pow-Andrada, Gonzalez, Jimenez & Esteller dependent secretion.…”

“…Neither are the data taken from the literature helpful in this respect since in unanaesthetized rabbits bile flows have been reported which are similar to our own using pentobarbital (Shaw & Heath, 1974) (Esteller, Jimenez & Lopez, 1981;Jimenez, Esteller & Lopez, 1982).…”

“…In the present work two such substances widely used in the field of experimental physiology, sodium pentobarbital and ethyl urethane, were examined in an attempt to determine to what extent bile secretion and composition as well as the chemical composition of blood varies in rabbits with excluded gallbladder. In this animal species, owing to the difficulties in maintaining a chronic biliary fistula (Shaw & Heath, 1974;DiPadova et al, 1981;Esteller, Jimenez & Lopez, 1981;Jimenez, Esteller & Lopez, 1982), most studies have been carried out on animals anaesthetized with one of these agents (Klaassen, 1974;Rutishauser & Stone, 1975;Shaw & Heath, 1975;Bruss, Cornelius & Himes, 1983;Gonzalez et al, 1983;Esteller et al, 1984;Zahavi, Shaffer & Gall, 1985).…”

Biliary Response to Food in Rabbits: Role of the Gall Bladder and the Enterohepatic Circulation of Bile Salts

“…20 mg/kg injected into the marginal ear vein. The procedure for double catheterization of the bile duct and exteriorization of the catheters has already been described (Esteller et al 1981). Cholecystectomy was also performed in eighteen of the animals.…”

Effets de la prise alimentaire sur la sécrétion biliaire chez le lapin

“…Les données relatives à la sécrétion biliaire chez le lapin anesthésié sont aussi abondantes (Esteller, Lopez et Murillo, 1977 ;Klaassen, 1973 ;Rutishauser et Stone, 1975 ;Scratcherd, 1965). Toutefois, les informations disponibles sur la sécrétion biliaire chez l'animal éveillé sont plus restreintes (Esteller, Jiménez et Lopez, 1981 ;Shaw et Heath, 1974) Murillo, 1977 ;Klaassen, 1973 ;Shaw et Heath, 1974).…”