Binds hydrophobic ligands, such as cholate, in the cytoplasm. May be involved in intracellular lipid transport (By similarity). Binds one cholate per subunit. Expressed in the developing embryonic liver from 48 hpf. Also expressed in the liver of 5-day-old larvae. In adults, primarily expressed in the liver, with weak expression in the testis and intestine. Forms a beta-barrel structure that accommodates hydrophobic ligands in its interior. A member of the basic liver-type FABPs, which are only found, thus far, in non-mammalian vertebrates. Belongs to the calycin superfamily. Fatty-acid binding protein (FABP) family. PubMed:12633865 reports expression in the ventral endoderm at 36 hpf, whereas PubMed:16857010 does not detect expression this early. The different timings may reflect strain-specific differences.