The pathological effects of oestrogens in the liver have been attributed to either an ERα-dependent suppression of transporter expression (Yamamoto et al., 2006) and/or stimulation of canalicular transporter endocytic internalization (Barosso et al., 2012) and/or to a saturation of hepatic oestrogen metabolism and transport that leads to a disruption in bile acid secretion or cholestasis (Stieger et al., 2000) and subsequent portal tract toxicity. The gene discussed is ESR1; the disease is cholestasis.