Q. What are the classes of lipoproteins in the blood?

Blood lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids) being insoluble in blood need a ship to travel in our body; it therefore usually gets bound to proteins and form complex particles called lipoproteins which vary in size, composition and density. There are five classes of lipoproteins in the blood. These include:

1. Chylomicrons: These are formed in the intestines when a Fatty meal is taken. These pass into the blood through the lymphatics. It contains nearly 90% of triglycerides and 5% cholesterol.

2. Very Low Density Lipoproteins (I%DL): These are produced by the liver and are the main transporters of triglycerides. VLDL generates most of the LDL in the plasma. It contains about 60% of triglycerides and 10% cholesterol.

3. Intermediary Density Lipoprotein (IDL): This is rich in cholesterol and triglyceride. It contains about 40% of triglycerides and 10% cholesterol.

4. Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL): This type of lipoprotein is most artherogenic of all the lipoproteins and is responsible for the atherosclerosis in the vessels. It has 10% of triglycerides and 45% of cholesterol.

5. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL): The high HDL content is associated with decrease in the risk of atherosclerosis. It contains about 3% triglycerides and 20% cholesterol.