Thus, the acute lethality of Pemt−/− mice fed the CD
diet was due to the rapid depletion of hepatic PC via secretion into bile.
Did the 50% lower hepatic PC content of CD-Pemt−/− mice lead to liver
failure? Apparently not, because after 21 days of choline deficiency, the
concentration of PC in Pemt−/−/Mdr2−/− mice was decreased to the
same extent as in the CD-fed Pemt−/− mice yet the double knock-out
mice were still alive.