Equilibrium of taurodeoxycholate between mixed micellar and aqueous phases: Effect of amphiphile

The equilibration of taurodeoxycholate between mixed micellar and aqueous phases has been studied by equilibrium dialysis. The presence of amphiphiles in the form of lecithin, long chain monoglyceride, and fatty acid in the bile salt solution will greatly decrease the bile salt concentration in the aqueous (intermicellar) phase. At high amphiphile concentration relative to bile salt, the concentration of bile salt in the aqueous phase will be below the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of the pure bile salt solution. Under these conditions, few simple micelles will be present and no binding of bile salts to protein takes place as indicated by experiments with colipase. The lowering of the concentration of bile salt in the aqueous phase by the presence of amphiphile may be a physiological mechanism to regulate bile salt absorption during the digestive phase of fat absorption.