Cholesterol gallstone disease: focusing on the role of gallbladder

Abstract

Gallstone disease (GSD) is one of the most common biliary tract diseases worldwide in which both genetic and environmental factors have roles in its pathogenesis. Biliary cholesterol supersaturation from metabolic defects in the liver is traditionally seen as the main pathogenic factor. Recently, there have been renewed investigative interests in the downstream events that occur in gallbladder lithogenesis. This article focuses on the role of the gallbladder in the pathogenesis of cholesterol GSD (CGD). Various conditions affecting the crystallization process are discussed, such as gallbladder motility, concentrating function, lipid transport, and an imbalance between pro-nucleating and nucleation inhibiting proteins.