The mechanism(s) by which bile acids increase biliary protoporphyrin excretion was characterized using perfused rat livers. We determined 1) relationships between biliary bile acids, phospholipid, and protoporphyrin, using rapid kinetic analyses; 2) protoporphyrin excretion in livers with defective canalicular multispecific organic anion transport; 3) effects of intracellular vesicular transport inhibition with colchicine and monensin; and 4) the role of luminal bile acids, using retrograde intrabiliary taurocholate injections. Biliary protoporphyrin excretion peaked with phospholipid excretion 14-18 min after loading. Protoporphyrin excretion induced by taurocholate was not related to effects on intracellular transport, including colchicine- and monensin-inhibitable vesicular systems. Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rat livers excreted protoporphyrin similarly to controls. Retrograde intrabiliary taurocholate injections increased protoporphyrin output. Collectively, these data suggest that 1) intracellular protoporphyrin transport is mediated by nonvesicular carriers targeted to the canalicular membrane, and 2) bile acid facilitates protoporphyrin translocation into bile in the same manner it effects phospholipid excretion.