Cholesterol and bile acid turnover in miniature swine

Miniature swine were fitted with indwelling cannulae at two sites in the gut and catheters in the aorta and portal vein. Ring labeled cholesterol was administered via jejunum and portal vein and various parameters of disappearance measured over 17–66 days. Conversion of cholesterol to bile acids and their subsequent disappearance from gut lumen were measured. Cholesterol disappearance was found to follow a two component exponential in serum and three components in gut. The serum curves were similar to those reported for humans. It was concluded that the minipig is an advantageous model for cholesterol turnover studies and that serum and gut cholesterol dynamics are different.