Bile acids are natural steroid acids found in bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver Synthesized in the liver, they play a foundational role in several bodily processes, influencing both digestion and broader metabolic health. Bile acids (bas) are hepatically synthesized cholesterol derivatives that function as amphipathic surfactants and systemic endocrine hormones. Bile acids are specific and quantitatively important organic components of bile, which are synthesized by hepatocytes from cholesterol and are involved in the osmotic process that ensures the outflow of bile. The bile acids metabolism page discusses the biosynthesis and metabolism of bile acids and their biological functions. Many waste products, including bilirubin, are eliminated from the body by secretion into bile and elimination in feces.
Bile acids are synthesized from cholesterol exclusively in the liver and function as physiological detergents that facilitate biliary cholesterol excretion Bile acids are stored in the gallbladder as bile salts. As a primary component of bile, a fluid produced by the liver, they are responsible for breaking down and absorbing fats from food.
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