Lipoprotein(a) consists of apo(a), which is a glycoprotein in nature and is covalently linked to apo-B100. Lipoprotein(a) has significant structural similarity to plasminogen.
Apo-B is the main transporter of triglycerides from the intestine to fat cells, hence its nickname "the big loader." Elevated apo-B levels in the blood are usually associated with high LDL levels and are characteristic of familial hyperglycemia, which is often complicated by myocardial infarction.
Each primary lipoprotein is characterized by the presence of a unique protein (apolipoprotein). Apolipoproteins are designated by Latin letters, and some represent a family of proteins and are additionally designated by numbers (e.g., apo-A1, apo-A2, etc.).
In clinical practice, lipoprotein fraction analysis is used to classify dyslipoproteinemias. Dyslipoproteinemias are abnormalities in the blood lipoprotein spectrum, manifested by changes in the content (increase, decrease, absence, or imbalance) of one or more lipoprotein classes.
Plasma lipoproteins are the transport form of lipids in the human body. They transport lipids of both exogenous (dietary) and endogenous origin. Certain lipoproteins capture excess cholesterol from peripheral tissue cells for transport to the liver, where it is oxidized into bile acids and excreted in the bile.
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is defined as the remaining amount of cholesterol in the blood serum after precipitation of apo-B-containing lipoproteins (low-density and very low-density lipoproteins).
Cholesterol is a secondary monohydric cyclic alcohol. Cholesterol enters the body through food, but most of it is produced endogenously (synthesized in the liver). Cholesterol is a component of cell membranes and a precursor to steroid hormones and bile acids.
Triglycerides, or neutral fats, are esters of the trihydric alcohol glycerol and higher fatty acids. Triglycerides are ingested through food (exogenous triglycerides) and synthesized within the body (endogenous triglycerides).
You are reporting a typo in the following text:
Simply click the "Send typo report" button to complete the report. You can also include a comment.
