[New aspects of clinical hepatology (author's transl)]

Studies of the enzymes participating in the urea cycle and urine synthesis in the liver punctate show that typical changes occur in the enzyme pattern during chronic liver diseases which yield new starting points for the diagnostic classification and prognostic assessment. From studies on the metabolism of the bile acids it appears that, among the conditions for cholestasis, a fetal snythetic pathway for the bile acids with primary side chain oxidation of the cholesterol is followed, and intrahepatic monohydroxy-bile acids are formed. The pathogenetic significance of these bile acids for cholestasis is discussed.