Final answer:
Bile is made up of bile acids or salts, bile pigments, cholesterol, and other substances extracted from the blood. Bilirubin is the principal pigment in bile, and it is derived from the breakdown of red blood cells. Bilirubin is bound by albumin and transported to the liver. This form of bilirubin is referred to as unconjugated bilirubin; it is insoluble in water and cannot be removed from the body until it has been conjugated by the liver. The conjugation of bilirubin occurs in the presence of the enzyme UDP glucuronyl transferase, which transfers a glucuronic acid molecule to each of the two propionic acid side chains of bilirubin to form bilirubin diglucuronide; it is water-soluble and is able to be secreted from the hepatocyte into the bile canaliculi. Intestinal bacteria work on conjugated bilirubin to produce mesobilirubin, which is reduced to form mesobilirubinogen and then stercobilinogen (a colorless product). Most of the urobilinogen formed (roughly 80%) is oxidized to an orange-colored product called urobilin (stercobilin) and is excreted in the feces. The stercobilin is what gives stool its brown color.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bile is made up of bile acids or salts, bile pigments, cholesterol, and other substances extracted from the blood. Bilirubin is the principal pigment in bile, and it is derived from the breakdown of red blood cells. Bilirubin is bound by albumin and transported to the liver. This form of bilirubin is referred to as unconjugated bilirubin; it is insoluble in water and cannot be removed from the body until it has been conjugated by the liver.
The conjugation of bilirubin occurs in the presence of the enzyme UDP glucuronyl transferase, which transfers a glucuronic acid molecule to each of the two propionic acid side chains of bilirubin to form bilirubin diglucuronide; it is water-soluble and is able to be secreted from the hepatocyte into the bile canaliculi. Intestinal bacteria work on conjugated bilirubin to produce mesobilirubin, which is reduced to form mesobilirubinogen and then stercobilinogen (a colorless product). Most of the urobilinogen formed (roughly 80%) is oxidized to an orange-colored product called urobilin (stercobilin) and is excreted in the feces.
The stercobilin is what gives stool its brown color.