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Coordinate regulation of gallbladder motor function in the gut‐liver axis
Author(s) -
Portincasa Piero,
Di Ciaula Agostino,
Wang Helen H.,
Palasciano Giuseppe,
van Erpecum Karel J.,
Moschetta Antonio,
Wang David Q.H.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.22204
Subject(s) - gallstones , gallbladder , postprandial , medicine , gastroenterology , cholesterol , gallbladder stone , hepatology , pathogenesis , insulin
Gallstones are one of the most common digestive diseases with an estimated prevalence of 10%‐15% in adults living in the western world, where cholesterol‐enriched gallstones represent 75%‐80% of all gallstones. In cholesterol gallstone disease, the gallbladder becomes the target organ of a complex metabolic disease. Indeed, a fine coordinated hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal function, including gallbladder motility in the fasting and postprandial state, is of crucial importance to prevent crystallization and precipitation of excess cholesterol in gallbladder bile. Also, gallbladder itself plays a physiopathological role in biliary lipid absorption. Here, we present a comprehensive view on the regulation of gallbladder motor function by focusing on recent discoveries in animal and human studies, and we discuss the role of the gallbladder in the pathogenesis of gallstone formation. (H EPATOLOGY 2008;47:2112–2126.)