Crystallogeny fundamentals of the cholesterol gallstone

The nucleation mechanism and crystal growth process of the cholesterol gallstone are studied and a systematic theory expounded by crystallogeny is proposed. Normal feed and stone-forming feed were used to raise guinea pigs in the control and stone-causing groups respectively. The state and transformation of liquid crystal vesicles, the appearance of crystal nuclei, and the formation of microcrystal grains were observed under a polarizing microscope during the experimental period. It was found that the liquid crystal vesicles in the bile of the control group were small, scattered, and always existed as single forms, and no shaped gallstone crystals were formed. While in the stone-causing group, liquid crystal vesicles grew to larger ones, and then aggregated to form large liquid crystal cells. Solid crystal growth along the edge of these liquid crystal cells formed microcrystal grains. These demonstrated that bile liquid crystal vesicles form the basic nuclei of cholesterol gallstone. Heterogeneous nucleation is the common process in the formation of crystal nuclei and crystal growth.