Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Lipid Digestion01:06

Lipid Digestion

Lipids are large molecules that are generally not water-soluble. Since most of the digestive enzymes in the human body are water-based, there are specific steps the body must take to break down lipids and make them available for use.
Bile01:19

Bile

Bile is a crucial bodily fluid, characterized by its yellow-green color and alkaline nature. Produced in the liver, it is transported through the common hepatic duct into either the cystic duct, leading to the gallbladder, or directly into the common bile duct. The flow of bile is regulated by the sphincter of Oddi located at the entrance of the duodenum. When this sphincter is closed, bile is redirected to the gallbladder for storage and concentration.
Bile is released when dietary fats enter...
Gallbladder01:17

Gallbladder

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ that plays a crucial role in our digestive system. Measuring about 10 cm in length, it is comparable in size to a kiwi fruit and is located in a hollow area on the lower surface of the liver. The gallbladder's primary function is to store and concentrate bile, a fluid produced by the liver that aids in digestion.
The gallbladder's anatomy consists of three regions: the fundus, body, and neck. Extending from the neck, the cystic duct joins the common...
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation01:29

Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation

Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
Lipid Absorption01:24

Lipid Absorption

Dietary triglycerides from chyme in the duodenum are mixed with bile salts produced by the liver to emulsify fats. As a result, large droplets are broken down into smaller ones, increasing the surface area for enzymatic action. Once emulsified, pancreatic lipases hydrolyze the triglycerides into free fatty acids and monoglycerides.
These breakdown products bind with bile salts and lecithin to form micelles, which quickly pass between microvilli to come in close contact with the apical...
Cholecystitis01:20

Cholecystitis

Cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder, most commonly caused by obstruction of the cystic duct. This blockage prevents bile from draining, leading to gallbladder distension, inflammation, and potentially serious complications. This condition may present acutely or chronically and can happen with or without gallstones.EtiologyAbout 95% of cholecystitis cases are calculous, caused by gallstones blocking the cystic duct, leading to bile accumulation and inflammation of the gallbladder...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Intra-gastric balloon with lifestyle modification: a promising therapeutic option for overweight and obese patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Internal and emergency medicine·2023
Same author

Stauffer's syndrome: A true entity?

Clinics and research in hepatology and gastroenterology·2021
Same author

Retrieval of chronic hepatitis C patients. A manifesto for action to eliminate hepatitis C in the Netherlands: the CELINE project.

The Netherlands journal of medicine·2019
Same author

Strategies for achieving viral hepatitis C micro-elimination in the Netherlands.

Hepatology, medicine and policy·2018
Same author

Ribavirin steady-state plasma level is a predictor of sustained virological response in hepatitis C-infected patients treated with direct-acting antivirals.

Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics·2017
Same author

How the concept of biochemical response influenced the management of primary biliary cholangitis over time.

The Netherlands journal of medicine·2016

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol
10:12

Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol

Published on: March 25, 2020

Intestinal aspects of cholesterol gallstone formation.

K J van Erpecum1, G P van Berge Henegouwen

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3508GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. k.j.vanerpecum@azu.nl

Digestive and Liver Disease : Official Journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver
|September 17, 2003
PubMed
Summary

This study explores how the intestine might contribute to cholesterol gallstone formation. It finds that disordered intestinal motility and abnormal hormone release in gallstone patients may increase the risk of gallstones. Prolonged intestinal transit could lead to higher levels of a bile salt called deoxycholate, which may promote gallstone formation. These findings suggest that intestinal function plays a role in gallstone development, offering new insights into the condition's causes.

Keywords:
gallstone formationintestinal motilitybile saltsmotilin release

Frequently Asked Questions

More Related Videos

Sodium Taurocholate Induced Severe Acute Pancreatitis in C57BL/6 Mice
06:35

Sodium Taurocholate Induced Severe Acute Pancreatitis in C57BL/6 Mice

Published on: June 28, 2021

The Isolation of Flowing Mesenteric Lymph in Mice to Quantify In Vivo Kinetics of Dietary Lipid Absorption and Chylomicron Secretion
06:14

The Isolation of Flowing Mesenteric Lymph in Mice to Quantify In Vivo Kinetics of Dietary Lipid Absorption and Chylomicron Secretion

Published on: November 30, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol
10:12

Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol

Published on: March 25, 2020

Sodium Taurocholate Induced Severe Acute Pancreatitis in C57BL/6 Mice
06:35

Sodium Taurocholate Induced Severe Acute Pancreatitis in C57BL/6 Mice

Published on: June 28, 2021

The Isolation of Flowing Mesenteric Lymph in Mice to Quantify In Vivo Kinetics of Dietary Lipid Absorption and Chylomicron Secretion
06:14

The Isolation of Flowing Mesenteric Lymph in Mice to Quantify In Vivo Kinetics of Dietary Lipid Absorption and Chylomicron Secretion

Published on: November 30, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Gastrointestinal physiology
  • Metabolic disease mechanisms
  • Biliary tract disorders

Background:

Current understanding of cholesterol gallstone formation includes factors like biliary cholesterol supersaturation and abnormal bile salt metabolism. However, the role of intestinal function remains unclear. Prior research has shown that intestinal motility and hormone release are linked to gallbladder activity. No prior work had resolved how intestinal motility might directly influence gallstone development. This gap motivated researchers to explore intestinal contributions to gallstone formation. The study aimed to clarify whether intestinal motility patterns and hormone release could affect gallstone risk. Existing knowledge focuses on bile composition and gallbladder contraction. This paper's contribution lies in examining intestinal function as a potential factor. The findings may suggest new perspectives on gallstone pathogenesis.

Purpose Of The Study:

The goal was to evaluate the role of intestinal motility in cholesterol gallstone formation. Researchers focused on how intestinal transit time and hormone release might influence gallstone risk. They aimed to determine if disordered intestinal motility could contribute to gallstone development. The study sought to compare intestinal and gallbladder motility patterns in gallstone patients and healthy individuals. Researchers also investigated the role of motilin release in the interdigestive state. They hypothesized that altered intestinal function might promote gallstone formation. The study aimed to identify specific motility and hormonal disturbances in gallstone patients. These findings could help explain the mechanisms behind gallstone formation.

Main Methods:

The study used motility assessments in both fasting and postprandial states. Researchers measured intestinal and gallbladder motility using imaging techniques. They analyzed motilin hormone release in the interdigestive state. The study compared motility patterns in gallstone patients and healthy controls. Researchers used timed recordings to assess intestinal transit duration. They evaluated the presence of secondary bile salts like deoxycholate. The study monitored gallbladder contraction in response to meals. Data collection included both qualitative and quantitative motility metrics.

Main Results:

Gallstone patients showed disordered intestinal motility patterns. These patients lacked normal gallbladder contractions during fasting. They exhibited abnormal motilin release in the interdigestive state. Prolonged intestinal transit was observed in gallstone patients. This transit time correlated with increased deoxycholate formation. Deoxycholate levels were higher in the intestinal lumen of affected individuals. The study found no such motility disturbances in healthy controls. These findings suggest a link between intestinal motility and gallstone formation.

Conclusions:

The authors propose that intestinal motility disturbances may contribute to gallstone formation. They suggest that prolonged intestinal transit increases deoxycholate production. This bile salt may promote lithogenesis in the intestinal lumen. The study indicates that gallstone patients have abnormal motilin release. Researchers propose that these hormonal changes affect gallbladder motility. The findings suggest a connection between intestinal and gallbladder function. The authors suggest that impaired motility in the interdigestive state may increase gallstone risk. These results may help explain the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstones.

The study suggests that disordered intestinal motility may increase gallstone risk by promoting deoxycholate formation.

Gallstone patients show abnormal motilin release, which may disrupt normal gallbladder contractions.

Extended transit time may enhance formation of pro-lithogenic bile salts like deoxycholate.

Deoxycholate is a hydrophobic bile salt that may promote gallstone formation in the intestinal lumen.

Motilin release was evaluated during the interdigestive state using hormone level measurements.

The authors suggest that intestinal motility disturbances may contribute to gallstone pathogenesis.