Plasma Lipoproteins -

METABOLISM
Plasma Lipids & Composition
Plasma lipids (or blood lipids) refers to all lipids present in the blood
plasma,
either free or bound to other molecules.
Composition
triacylglycerols (TGs),
phospholipids (PLs),
cholesterol (Ch),
cholesteryl esters CE .

Classification of Lipoproteins
Lipoproteins include proteins and lipids.
Different combinations of lipids and proteins produce lipoprotein particles
of different densities and different properties.
Acc. to densities
CM (small intestine)
VLDL (liver)
LDL (plasma)
HDL (liver, intestine, plasma)
Acc. to their electrophoretic properties
After separation on agarose gel electrophoresis, lipoproteins are
classified into：

Plasma Lipoproteins METABOLISM 1

 Since CM have massive size and nearly bear no charge,
so they rest on the start (no migration).
Composition of Lipoproteins
Lipid composition
（TG）( PL (Ch) （CE）
The proportion of lipid to protein in a lipoprotein increases as the
density decreases.

Lipoproteins- L P ratio
CM CM 1 VLDL LDL HDL Status
Untitled 90% TG 60% TG 8% TG 5% TG
Untitled 5% Chol 20% Chol 50% Chol 25% Chol
Untitled 3% PL 15% PL 22% PL 30% PL
Untitled 2% Protein 5% Protein 20% Protein 40% Protein
Untitled
Protein composition
The protein moiety of lipoproteins is known as apolipoprotein or
apoprotein\
Apolipoproteins carry out several roles, including:
1 They construct lipoproteins and stabilize them, e.g., apo A and apo
B;
2 They are enzyme cofactors, activating enzymes that act on the
lipoproteins, e.g., apo C Ⅱ for lipoprotein lipase, apo AⅠ for LCAT;
3 They act as ligands of lipoprotein receptors, targeting lipoproteins
to specific tissues, e.g, apo B100 and apo E for the LDL receptor, apo
E for the remnant receptor, and apo AⅠ for the HDL receptor.

Plasma Lipoproteins METABOLISM 2

 Structure of Lipoproteins
Lipoproteins carry lipids after they are digested and absorbed
Structure: （spherical particles）

Core of TG and CE （hydrophobic lipids ）

Surface of polar lipids and apolipoproteins
Functions of Lipoproteins refer notes

Plasma Lipoproteins METABOLISM 3

 CM transport exogenous (dietary) TG and cholesterol from the intestine
to other tissues.
VLDL transport endogenous triacylglycerols from the liver to the
extrahepatic tissues.
LDL carry cholesterol to extrahepatic tissues.
HDL : transport excess cholesterol from the extrahepatic tissues to the
liver for disposal.

Plasma Lipoproteins METABOLISM 4