Poison Ivy Should be Called Green Ivy

Everyone knows the tale of Poison Ivy. She is poisoned and becomes immune to all natural toxins then uses her immunity as a way to exact her revenge on the world.  But the truth is she expressed a novel mutation in the biliverdin reductase-A gene combined with liver cirrhosis resulting in hyperbiliverdinaenemia (green jaundice). No wonder she was “green with ivy”. Nevertheless, her bile, travels the normal pathway.

Question: Under non-pathological conditions, identify the site where Poison Ivy’s bile travels in both directions.

Postscript: A color blind chemistry instructor falls in love with Poison Ivy, they marry, have a litter of children, and live happily ever after. Their children are all born purple, the reason young parents typically relate to Prince’s Purple Rain. And a big thanks to Drew Bolster, M’24, Georgetown University Medical School for the dissection.