Ultrastructure of gallstones produced in mice fed a high cholesterol diet

Abstract

Mice fed a high cholesterol-cholic acid diet for two to six months develop gallstones; these were studied by transmission electron microscopy after glutaraldehyde-digitonin fixation. Examination of the contents of mouse gallbladders presents views of layered structures and surrounding amorphous material. We interpret these images of gallstones to suggest that they may arise by cohesion of material rich in cholesterol to form more ordered structures. Gallbladder contents of mice fed the diet for five to six months were found to contain occasional crystals and rectangular areas similar to those observed in thin sections of human gallstones (unpublished observations). Recent findings that human gallstones can be dissolved with chenodeoxycholic acid are discussed, with reference to their applicability to studies of gallstones in mice.