A Crash Course in Understanding Lipoprotein Metabolism:
Lipoproteins are transporter molecules for cholesterol, fat and other fat soluble nutrients like vitamins A, K, D and E from the blood to different organs (liver) and tissues (adipose and other cells). Cholesterol like all the other fats and fat-soluble vitamins are not water-soluble and do not dissolve in the blood, hence the requirement to be carried in “packages” called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins consist of the following parts:
- A core of fats (triglycerides), cholesterol esters (cholesterol linked to fatty acids), and fat-soluble vitamins.
- A monolayer membrane of phospholipids and small amounts of free cholesterol.
- Proteins called “apoprotein” which may be “integral” apoproteins (apoA or apoB) penetrating as a transmembrane protein through the monolayer membrane, compared to the “peripheral” apoproteins (apoC or apoE) that are on the outer surface of the phospholipid membrane.
Apoproteins are named according to their protein density for example “high density lipoprotein” (HDL)…
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