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A 28-year-old male asked:
What is the definition or description of: lipoprotein?
6 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in
Dr. Mark Rasakanswered
Cardiology 35 years experience
Protien and fat: Lipoprotien is a combo of fat and protien the protien portion aiilows for the transport of the throughout the body and in to the cells of the tissues in the body. These can be measured with serum samples and electrophoresesis.
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5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Milton Alvis, jr commented
Preventive Medicine 43 years experience
NMR technology=more precise than ultracentrifugation (separating by density compared with surrounding water) followed by electrophoresis & is largely replacing these older methods from the 1930s, especially since development, FDA approval & commercialization of the Vantera analyzer; look up on Google & YouTube. NMR technology distinguishes many particle characteristics, including size, while ↓↓$.
Aug 30, 2015
Dr. Milton Alvis, jranswered
Preventive Medicine 43 years experience
ProteinsCarryingFats: Our body=built from organized water, ~62% H20 if very slender. All cell membranes are built from fat molecules separating the water inside cells from the water outside. Specific proteins, secreted by liver & intestinal cells into the water outside cells, coat/emulsify masses of fat molecules & transport these collections around the body within the water outside cells; shipping containers for fat.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Milton Alvis, jr commented
Preventive Medicine 43 years experience
Provided original answer
LDL (i.e. lower density LP than water) (& all the larger particles) is made up of a single Apo-B organizing protein plus ~100 additional helper proteins, charged animo acids turned to the outside, rendering the particle hydrophilic/water-soluble; non-charged (lipophilic) amino acids inward. A single LDL-particle typically carries 3,000-6,000 fat (highly variable ratios of which ones) molecules.
Aug 30, 2015
Dr. Milton Alvis, jr commented
Preventive Medicine 43 years experience
Provided original answer
HDL (i.e. higher density LP than water)=fat scavenger vs. delivery particles & have long been divided into 5 subgroups, initially are flattened disks with only one Apo-A organizing protein, adding a 2nd & 3rd as they enlarge (only 1 in above image is misleading), also with ~100 additional helper proteins. Each LP cell interacts with particles via surface receptors which bind, then ingest particle.
Aug 30, 2015
Dr. Milton Alvis, jr commented
Preventive Medicine 43 years experience
Provided original answer
Notice: in the nominal after eating state (implied by above image) there is huge comparative mass of fats in Apo-B delivery vs. Apo-A scavenger particles. Why? Cell ingested fats are converted into other molecules or burned (becoming CO2+H20) for energy. LFHC foods: carbs ↑glucose & converted by liver to triglycerides, ↑LDL & ↑obesity. HFLC foods: triglycerides=more mobilized body fat than food.
Aug 30, 2015
Dr. Michael Shapiroanswered
Cardiology 24 years experience
Cholesterol carriers: Lipoproteins are small carriers of lipids in the blood. Lipids of clinical interest include cholesterol and triglycerides. These lipids (fats) are not soluble in blood (water) and thus must be carried by these lipoprotein particles. Conventional cholesterol tests measure the cholesterol and triglyceride content of the lipoproteins. More sophisticated tests can directly measure the lipoproteins.
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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. James Underberganswered
Internal Medicine Clinical Lipidology 37 years experience
Carriers of Lipids: Lipids are fats. They do not travel freely in the blood stream, as blood is like water and water & fat do not mix. Lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) have to travel inside water loving "vehicles" called lipoproteins, which are spherical "particles" that transport lipids throughout the body. They have names like ldl, hdl, vldl. They have proteins on them called apob & apo a and can be measured.
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5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Michael Morananswered
Cardiology 26 years experience
A false blood thiner: Lp(a) is a series of Amino Acids which have a similar structure, and therefore the "key" as plasminogen, a natural blood thinner and clot desolver. Unfortunately, lp(a) doesn't act like plasminogen and break down clots, so you are more likely to have problems if clots can't be broken down. It is genetic, nml levels are up to 30 in caucasians, up to 60 in blacks. Niacin lowers those levels.
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5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
Dr. William Cromwellanswered
Clinical Lipidology 36 years experience
Type of LDL particle: Lipoprotein (a), also known as lp(a), is an LDL particle with an extra protein, apolipoprotein (a), attached to it. This type of LDL particle has been shown to increase cardiovascular risk beyond other risk factors. Increased lp(a) is most commonly inherited. Other causes include hypothyroidism, chronic kidney disease, and increased trans fat intake.
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5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
Last updated Jan 12, 2016
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