MUC1 and gallstones: A central finding of our research is the critical role of gallbladder mucus, specifically MUC1 and MUC5ac, in regulating CGD development independently of bile CSI.[9, 11] While bile CSI is typically seen as a key driver of gallbladder cholesterol crystallization, our results suggest that changes in MUC1 and MUC5ac expression are equally crucial in promoting gallstone formation.