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What are Lipoproteins?

Thursday, 02 February 2012 22:57 Written by Sam

What are Lipoproteins?

The human body is filled with all sorts of different components, blood vessels, organs, and organelles. It’s a wonder that we can understand anything about the human body through all its twists and turns. The human body really is a maze that doctors and physicians somehow learn to navigate. One of the most common biochemical groupings are lipoproteins. Using Human Apo Elisa kits, scientists can learn a lot about the human body and its various processes. So what are

lipoproteins?

The Basics of Lipoproteins

Lipoproteins are biochemical groupings that contain both proteins and lipids that are bound to the proteins by water. The body handles lipoproteins in a process known as lipoprotein metabolism Lipoproteins are actually a fairly broad category that describes numerous biochemical compounds, including:

Enzymes
Transporters
Antigens
Structural proteins
Adhesins
Toxins

So what function does the lipoprotein serve in the body? Primarily, lipoproteins transport lipids, or fats, through the body via blood. Despite the public’s general aversion to the idea of fat, all cells in the human body use and rely on fat and cholesterol. Both fat and cholesterol act as the foundation through which cells can create multiple membranes. These membranes control internal water content within cells and internal water soluble elements while also organizing internal structures and protein enzymatic systems within cells.

Lipoprotein Metabolism

Lipoprotein metabolism is broken up into two pathways, exogenous and endogenous. This depends on the origin of the lipoproteins. Exogenous refers to lipoproteins composed chiefly of dietary lipids. Endogenous refers to lipoproteins that originated from the liver. In the exogenous pathway, lipids are assembled with apolipoprotein B-48 to create chylomicrons, which are secreted from intestinal epithelial cells into the lymphatic system and eventually the bloodstream.

In the bloodstream, the chylomicrons activate various enzymes that lead to the release of glycerol and fatty acids, which are absorbed for energy and storage. In the endogenous pathway, the liver produces very low density lipoproteins. These are released into the bloodstream and continue much in the same fashion as chylomicron. Remnants can continue to circulate and either be absorbed by the liver or further hydrolyzed.

Lipoproteins and Heart Disease A common blood test is performed to measure a specific type of lipoprotein known as lipoprotein-a. Lipoprotein-a is considered a risk factor for heart disease, and testing can potentially spot the problem before conditions worsen. Normal values are somewhere below 30 milligrams per deciliter. High levels of lipoproteins can increase the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke.