Which transporter mediates ileal reabsorption of bile acids?

Prepare for the Alimentary and Digestive System Test. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions, with hints and explanations for each question. Ace your exam with confidence!

Multiple Choice

Which transporter mediates ileal reabsorption of bile acids?

Explanation:
Ileal reabsorption of bile acids is carried out by a specific transporter on the apical brush border of ileal enterocytes. This apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) uses the sodium gradient to actively take bile acids from the intestinal lumen into the cell. Once inside, bile acids exit across the basolateral membrane via OSTα/OSTβ and return to the liver through the portal blood, completing the enterohepatic circulation. This Na+-dependent uptake is what makes ASBT the key mediator of ileal bile acid reabsorption. The other options don’t fit because they transport different molecules: GLUT2 and SGLT1 handle glucose, not bile acids, and a chloride channel moves chloride ions rather than bile acids.

Ileal reabsorption of bile acids is carried out by a specific transporter on the apical brush border of ileal enterocytes. This apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) uses the sodium gradient to actively take bile acids from the intestinal lumen into the cell. Once inside, bile acids exit across the basolateral membrane via OSTα/OSTβ and return to the liver through the portal blood, completing the enterohepatic circulation. This Na+-dependent uptake is what makes ASBT the key mediator of ileal bile acid reabsorption.

The other options don’t fit because they transport different molecules: GLUT2 and SGLT1 handle glucose, not bile acids, and a chloride channel moves chloride ions rather than bile acids.

More Multiple Choice Questions
Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy