title: What is meant by the term "bile acid"?
abstract: The bile acids are a set of acidic steroids. Many conventional bile acids share a common derivation and have functional characteristics in common. Exceptions exist, however, to virtually all of the rules that can be applied to a definition of bile acids. The term is thus best applied to those steroids with a side chain at C-17, which contains a carboxylic acid group, and to acidic derivatives of such compounds. Naturally occurring bile acids are a more numerous and diverse group than has been generally recognized. The site of origin, synthetic pathways, metabolism, and bioactivity of recently recognized unconventional bile acids are under intensive investigation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008823:Micelles; D012995:Solubility; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D008823:Micelles