Research advances of the biliary and nonbiliary pathways to reverse cholesterol transport

Plasma cholesterol levels are the major risk factor for atherosclerosis(AS) and coronary heart disease(CHD).Biliary pathway to reverse cholesterol transport(RCT) is the process that cholesterol in peripheral tissue and macrophages is transported to liver by lipoprotion,then secreted into the bile and finally excreted through feces.According to a large number of studies,there is nonbiliary pathway to RCT to clear excess cholesterol in the body,apart from the biliary pathway to RCT.This review focuses on the current views on the different pathways to RCT,and the regulation on the RCT of the relevant transports,lipoprotion,receptor and so on,aiming at providing new theoretical evidence and acting targets for the treatment of cholelithiasis and AS related disease.