Cholesterol monohydrate growth in model bile solutions.

Abstract

The growth of cholesterol monohydrate from solutions of bile salt,lecithin, and small electrolytes has been studied by microscopy and with the Coulter Counter. The crystal forms found by micocopy are the same as those seen in human gallstones and in squirrel monkey cholesterol microliths. The cholesterol growth rates determined with the Coulter Counter vary slowly with cholesterol concentration at low degree of supersaturation but become exponential at higher cholesterol concentrations. Growth is accelerated by the presence of calcium and magnesium but inhibited by potassium. These results can be combined with previous measurements of cholesterol dissolution rates to give a more accurate picture of the dynamics of gallstone formation. The complex nature of real bile, in which many factors may change from sample to sample, makes it difficult to study nucleation and growth systematically.

Effect of gallbladder hypomotility on cholesterol crystallization and growth in CCK-deficient mice

“…One was spiral dislocation growth: the pyramidal surface containing numerous growth spirals nucleated by a screw dislocation (Figure 6, C and D), and the other was twin crystal growth: the crystals growing upright and perpendicular to the surface (Figure 6, E and F). These observations on cholesterol crystal growth habits are consistent with these as found in model bile systems by Toor and colleagues [24]. All of these crystal growth habits induced solid cholesterol crystals enlarged in size.…”

“…We, for the first time, found that in mouse lithogenic biles, there were three modes of cholesterol crystal growth habits in the early stage of cholesterol gallstone formation, all of which enlarged solid cholesterol crystals in size. These observations were consistent with the results found in model bile systems by Toor and colleagues [24]. They observed that when the CSI values in bile are higher, the spiral dislocation growth and the twin crystal growth patterns are two predominant crystal growth habits [24].…”

“…These observations were consistent with the results found in model bile systems by Toor and colleagues [24]. They observed that when the CSI values in bile are higher, the spiral dislocation growth and the twin crystal growth patterns are two predominant crystal growth habits [24]. Moreover, when the CSI values in bile are lower, there is the third mode of crystal growth habits: proportional enlargement patterns.…”

“…Although in the past years, cholesterol crystal growth habits have been extensively studied principally in model bile systems [24,54], little is known whether these pathophysiologically relevant phenomena take place in native gallbladder biles of humans and mice as well. We, for the first time, found that in mouse lithogenic biles, there were three modes of cholesterol crystal growth habits in the early stage of cholesterol gallstone formation, all of which enlarged solid cholesterol crystals in size.…”

Estrogen induces two distinct cholesterol crystallization pathways by activating ERα and GPR30 in female mice

“…In the present study, we found that gallbladder contractile dysfunction caused by E 2 also promotes rapid growth of solid cholesterol crystals mainly in E 2 -treated OVX wild-type mice with the highest CSI value. These observations on cholesterol crystal growth habits are consistent with those reported previously in model bile systems by Toor and colleagues ( 40 ) and in CCK( Ϫ / Ϫ ) mice with gallbladder hypomotility ( 24 ).…”