Bile formation is a fundamental physiological process that is vital to the survival of all
vertebrates. However, little was known about the mechanisms of this secretion until after
World War II. Initial studies involved classic physiologic studies in animal models and
humans, which progressed to include studies in isolated cells and membrane vesicles. The
advent of molecular biology then led to the identification of specific transport systems that
are the determinants of this secretion. Progress in this field was reviewed in the American …