bile salts, bile pigments, etc

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Hey guys,

I'm kinda confused as to how bile salts/acids, pigments, etc are related to each other. I actually can't find this old stuff in my notes, so i was wondering if any peeps studying basic sci can help me out

I remember this much:

bilirubin ( a bile pigment) is formed from the breakdown of heme and gets conjugated by liver & excreted in urine and feces


bile acids/salts are formed from cholesterol and help in fat solubilization. are they synthesized de novo in the liver?

but the other day i was talking to a fellow med student and he said that bile acids are bile pigments too? is that true?

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Hello,
Good question, these terms can get confusing. A bile salt is an amphipathic molecule. This term is from our good ol' chem courses back in the day, basically refers to a compound with both a hydrophillic (water loving) and hydrophobic (fat soluble) region. Bile salts are made in the liver from cholesterol inorder to solubilize fats, allowing absorption into our lymphatics.
Bile pigment is a compound which "pigments" or gives bile the unique color it has, like any other pigment in the body. Your friend is correct in saying that the breakdown product of heme, bilirubin, is a bile pigment.

Hope that helps.
 
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