Nucleation and growth of cholesterol crystals. Kinetic determinants in supersaturated native bile.

Among the factors affecting the stability of supersaturated bile that culminates in the nucleation and growth of cholesterol crystals are biliary lipids. The abundance and composition of these lipids affect the composition of biliary vesicles that, if rich in cholesterol, are themselves unstable and that constitute precursor particles from which cholesterol crystals somehow arise. Kinetic factors can affect stability in either of two ways: They can inhibit cholesterol crystallization, thus stabilizing the system, or they can promote the process of cholesterol crystal nucleation, thus stabilizing the system.