Hepatocellular transport of cyclosomatostatins: evidence for a carrier system related to the multispecific bile acid transporter.

The uptake of the cyclopeptide c(Phe-Thr-Lys-Trp-Phe-D-Pro) (008), an analog of somatostatin with retro sequence, was studied in isolated hepatocytes. 008 is taken up by hepatocytes in a concentration-, time-, energy- and temperature- dependent manner. Since 008 is hydrophobic, it binds rapidly to liver cells.