Binding of bile acids by 100 000g supernatants from rat liver

1. The binding of glycocholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid to rat liver 1000 000g supernatants was studied by equilibrium dialysis. 2. The binding characteristics of the bile acids suggest that the binding components are involved in bile acid transport. 3. When mixtures of [14C]lithocholic acid and liver supernatants were eluted from columns of Sephadex G-75, a prominent peak of [14C]lithocholic acid appeared with proteins of mol.wt. approx. 40000. A second, smaller, peak of [14C]lithocholic acid was eluted with proteins of mol.wt. approx. 100000. 4. The inclusion of cholic acid, glycocholic acid or chenodeoxycholic acid in the eluting buffer decreased the amount of [14C]lithocholic acid that was eluted with the higher-molecular-weight component.