BILE ACIDS IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN.

Abstract

Abstract The distribution of bile acids in the gallbladder bile of 3 fetuses and in the duodenal contents of 48 infants and children between the ages of 2 hours and 14 years was measured chromatographically. Bile and taurine conjugates and glycoconjugated bile acids were present in the gallbladders of the fetuses. Taurine conjugates of bile acids predominated at birth. Coincident with the initiation of milk feedings, the total concentration of bile in the duodenal contents increased sharply. The greatest concentration of bile acids in the duodenum was encountered in specimens of infants between the ages of 10 days and 7 months. Cholic acid was the predominant bile acid in infants, and chenodeoxycholic was the predominant one in older children. Peculiarly, no deoxycholic acid could be found in infants younger than 15 months of age. Six unidentified compounds, 4 of which were probably bile acids, were found in duodenal contents.