What Are the Four Classes of Lipoprotein?
- The levels of LDC effect blood pressure.blood preasure check image by .shock from Fotolia.com
Lipoproteins are compounds found in the blood containing lipids and proteins that carry energry to the body's cells. Lipids are fat-soluble molecules such as fats, oils and cholesterol, and proteins are organic compounds built from amino acids. Lipoproteins are divided into four main classes, identified according to their densities and chemical qualities. - Chylomicron is a type of lipoprotein that is basically large balls of fat or triglycerides, as defined in the article "Cholesterol Down: Ten Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in Four Weeks--Without Prescription Drugs" by Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN. These balls contain approximately 90 percent fat, as well as phospholipids, cholesterol and protein. Chylomicrons are made by the small intestines and are absorbed into the blood through vessels in the lymphatic system. The function of chylomicrons is to deliver fuel in the form of triglycerides to the body cells.
- VLDL is a very low-density lipoprotein that carries a large amount triglycerides, a few phospholipids and cholesterol, according to Dr. Brill. VLDL is similar to chylomicrons, but it is made by the liver rather than the intestines. VLDL is made in the liver from extra dietary carbohydrates, chylomicron remnants and protein. The high fat content of VLDL makes a large quantity of this lipoprotein in the blood undesirable.
- LDL is a low-density lipoprotein and is considered a bad cholesterol. This lipoprotein contains a fraction of the fat and double the protein of VLDL. LDL carries 70 percent of the cholesterol in the blood. According to the article "Lipid Digestion and Lipoproteins," published by the Medical Biochemistry Page by Michael W. King, Ph.D, this unhealthy type of lipoprotein is origionally produced by the liver as VLDL, but as tryglerides are absorbed into the bodies cells, what remains becomes LDL.
- HDL is a high-density lipoprotein and is considered a good cholesterol, as defined in the article "Cholesterol Down: Ten Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in Four Weeks--Without Prescription Drugs," by Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D., LDN. It is made primarily of protein, along with some cholesterol, phospholipids and a small amount of fat. HDL is the densest of all the lipoproteins. It is produced in both the liver and the small intestines and its function is to pick up cholesterol from the body cells and transport it back to the liver.
