Cholangiocytes

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A scanning electron micrograph of a group of isolated cholangiocytes

Cholangiocytes are the epithelial cells of the bile duct. They are cuboidal epithelium in the small interlobular bile ducts, but become columnar and mucus secreting in larger bile ducts approaching the porta hepatis and the extrahepatic ducts.

These cells modify bile by water reabsorption and through secretion under the influence of secretin and somatostatin.

Cholangiocytes act through bile-acid independent bile flow, which is driven by the active transport of electrolytes; as opposed to hepatocytes, which secrete bile though bile-acid dependent bile flow which is coupled to canalicular secretion of bile acids via ATP-driven transporters, which results in passive transcellular and paracellular secretion of fluid and electrolytes through an osmotic effect.

It's also been seen that cholangiocytes can transport IgA from plasma into bile