Bile acid and xenobiotic transporters in liver.

Identification of transporters involved in bile formation in liver is rapidly progressing. It is now clear that these transporters are also important in drug disposition in the body. Significant recent advances include the cloning of an ATP-dependent bile acid transporter, related to the p-glycoprotein family, in the canalicular plasma membrane of hepatocytes. In addition, liver transporter genes responsible for hereditary forms of cholestatic liver disease have been identified and found to belong to the superfamily of ATP-binding cassette proteins.