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

Liver Regeneration01:24

Liver Regeneration

3.3K
The liver is an important organ in vertebrates that plays an essential role in metabolism. It is also responsible for storing and redistributing nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins in the body. Additionally, the liver releases bile salts which are critical for digesting food and eliminating toxic metabolites from the body.
Cells of Liver
The liver comprises four major types of cells— hepatocytes, stellate, Kupffer, and sinusoidal endothelial cells. The hepatocytes are...
3.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Alkaline phosphatase: Need for an earlier time-table.

Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver·2023
Same author

Letter to the editor: Hyperosmolarity during hepatic bile formation: Overlooked significance.

Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.)·2022
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2025

Determining Bile Duct Density in the Mouse Liver
07:35

Determining Bile Duct Density in the Mouse Liver

Published on: April 30, 2019

6.9K

Hepatic Bile Formation: Developing a New Paradigm.

Norman B Javitt1

  • 1NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, New York, New York norman.javitt@nyulangone.org.

Pharmacological Reviews
|August 2, 2023
PubMed
Summary

The Sperber proposal on bile formation is updated, revealing osmotic gradients drive water flow via paracellular and transcellular routes. New insights also include vesicle-mediated water transport, enhancing understanding of cholestatic syndromes.

More Related Videos

Generation and Quantitative Characterization of Functional and Polarized Biliary Epithelial Cysts
09:55

Generation and Quantitative Characterization of Functional and Polarized Biliary Epithelial Cysts

Published on: May 16, 2020

3.9K
Isolation and 3D Collagen Sandwich Culture of Primary Mouse Hepatocytes to Study the Role of Cytoskeleton in Bile Canalicular Formation In Vitro
10:12

Isolation and 3D Collagen Sandwich Culture of Primary Mouse Hepatocytes to Study the Role of Cytoskeleton in Bile Canalicular Formation In Vitro

Published on: December 20, 2019

11.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 20, 2025

Determining Bile Duct Density in the Mouse Liver
07:35

Determining Bile Duct Density in the Mouse Liver

Published on: April 30, 2019

6.9K
Generation and Quantitative Characterization of Functional and Polarized Biliary Epithelial Cysts
09:55

Generation and Quantitative Characterization of Functional and Polarized Biliary Epithelial Cysts

Published on: May 16, 2020

3.9K
Isolation and 3D Collagen Sandwich Culture of Primary Mouse Hepatocytes to Study the Role of Cytoskeleton in Bile Canalicular Formation In Vitro
10:12

Isolation and 3D Collagen Sandwich Culture of Primary Mouse Hepatocytes to Study the Role of Cytoskeleton in Bile Canalicular Formation In Vitro

Published on: December 20, 2019

11.6K

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Physiology
  • Bile Acid Biology

Background:

  • Ivar Sperber's 1959 hypothesis proposed osmotic gradients drive water flow in bile formation, contrasting it with urine production.
  • Early research faced conflicting data, leading to a halt in developing Sperber's initial proposal.
  • Recent advancements necessitate a re-evaluation of bile formation mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To update Sperber's proposal on bile formation based on current scientific understanding.
  • To elucidate the roles of paracellular and transcellular water transport in hepatic bile ductules and canalicular conduits.
  • To integrate new findings on bile acid aggregates and vesicle formation into the existing model.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of current data on hepatic bile formation.
  • Application of the fluorescent localization after photobleaching technique for direct determination of hepatic duct flow.
  • Analysis of biomarker roles (mannitol, polyethylene glycol 900) in quantifying water flow.

Main Results:

  • Current data support both paracellular and transcellular water flow into hepatic ductules and canalicular conduits, driven by osmotic gradients.
  • Bile acid aggregates (micelles) form lecithin-cholesterol vesicles containing water, independent of osmotic gradients.
  • The fluorescent localization after photobleaching technique aids in determining hepatic duct flow.

Conclusions:

  • Updating the Sperber proposal provides a new paradigm for understanding hepatic bile formation.
  • Identifying all water flow sites is crucial for precise evaluation of cholestatic syndromes.
  • Biomarkers like mannitol and polyethylene glycol 900 may quantify paracellular and transcellular water flow, respectively.