While bile acid synthesis is critical for the removal of cholesterol from the body, bile acids are also required for proper uptake of nutrients in the small intestine. Our Total Bile Acid Assay Kit provides a convenient 96-well plate-based method to measure the total bile acid content in a variety of sample types.
These assays are based on an enzyme driven reaction in which bile acids are incubated in the presence of 3-alpha hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase. The reaction used with the colorimetric kit requires the presence of NADH, and thio-NAD+. The thio-NAD+ is reduced to thio-NADH which is detected by colorimetric absorbance. The fluorometric kit requires incubation with NAD+, which is converted to NADH. Diaphorase then uses NADH to reduce resazurin to resorufin, which is detected fluormetrically at 560nm excitation and 590nm emission.