LIPID TRANSPORT &

STORAGE
Abdul Salam M. Sofro
Faculty of Medicine
YARSI University

Learning objectives

By the end of lectures, the students are expected

to:
Understand lipid transport in the body (or the blood
plasma)
Recognize various lipoprotein and the role of liver in
lipid transport and metabolism
Understand lipid storage for energy reserve

Lipid are insoluble in water

How to transport in the blood plasma?

Solved by associating non-polar lipid (TAG &
cholesteryl ester) with amphipathic lipids
(phospholipids & cholesterol) and protein to
make water-miscible lipoprotein

Four major lipid classes are present in

lipoprotein

Triacylglycerol (TAG)
Phospholipids
Cholesterol
Cholesteryl ester
Another plasma lipid: Free Fatty Acids (FFA)
only 5% of the total FA present in the plasma
and the most metabolically active plasma lipid

Sites of action of the phospholipases A1, A2, C and D.

Phospholipid Structures
Phosphatidylcholine (PC)

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)

Phosphatidylserine (PS)

Cont.

Chylomicron derived from intestinal absorption of

TAG
Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL of pre-lipoproteins) derived from the liver for export of TAG
Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL or -lipoproteins)
representing the final stage in the catabolism of VLDL
High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) or -lipoproteins)
involved in VLDL & chylomicron metabolism and also in
cholesterol transport

Function of lipoproteins

Chylomicrons
Transport triacylglycerols from intestines to other tissue
except kidneys

VLDL
Bind triacylglycerols in liver and carry them to fat tissue

LDL
Carry cholesterol to peripheral tissues

HDL
Bound to plasma cholesterol. Transport cholesterol to
liver

Composition of lipoproteins in human plasma

Fraction

Source

Protein
(%)

Total lipid
(%)

TAG
(%)

Chylomicrons
Chylomicron
remnants
VLDL
IDL
LDL

Intestine
Chylomicrons

1-2
6-8

98-99
92-94

88
80

Liver (intestine)
VLDL
VLDL

7-10
11
21

90-93
89
79

56
29
13

HDL1
HDL2
HDL3
Pre--HDL

Liver & intestine

VLDL
Chylomicrons

32
33
57
70

68
67
43
30

2
16
13
-

Albumin-FFA

Adipose tissue

99

Protein moiety of a lipoprotein is known

as apolipoprotein or apoprotein

One or more apolipoproteins are present in each

lipoprotein:
Apo A is major apoprotein of HDL
Apo B is major apoprotein of LDL (Apo B-100), but
is found also in VLDL (Apo B-100) & chylomicrons
(Apo B-48)
Apo C-I, C-II & C-III are smaller polypeptides freely
transferable between several different lipoproteins
Apo E (arginine rich) are present in VLDL & HDL

Apolipoproteins of human plasma lipoproteins

Apolipoproteins

Lipoproteins

Molecular
Mass (Da)

Apo A-I

HDL, Chylomicrons

28,000

Apo A-II

HDL, Chylomicrons

17,000

Apo A-IV

Secreted with chyomicrons but

Transfer to HDL

46,000

Apo B-100

LDL, VLDL, IDL

550,000

Apo B-48

Chyloicrons, chylomicron remnants

260,000

Apo C-I

VLDL, HDL, chylomicrons

7,6000

Apo C-II

VLDL, HDL, chylomicrons

8,916

Apo C-III

VLDL, HDL, chylomicrons

8,750

Apo D

Subfraction of HDL

19,300

Apo E

VLDL, IDL, HDL, Chylomicrons,

Chylomicron remnants

34,000

Note:

FFAs in the plasma arise from lipolysis of TAG

in adipose tissue or as a result of the action of
lipoprotein lipase during uptake of plasma TAG
into tissues. They found in combination with
albumin, rapidly metabolized to form energy or
esterified, the level may arise in uncontrolled
DM

TAG is transported from the intestines in

chylomicrons and from the liver in VLDL.
Chylomicrons are found in chyle formed by the
lymphatic system draining the intestine and
responsible for the transport of all dietary lipids
into the circulation.
Smaller & denser particles having the physical
characteristics of VLDL are also to be found in
chyle. Their formation occurs even in the fasting
state, their lipids originating mainly from bile &
intestinal secretion

Chylomicrons & VLDL are rapidly metabolized.

Larger particles are catabolized more quickly
than smaller ones.
Liver does not metabolize native chylomicrons
or VLDL significantly
TAG of chylomicrons & VLDL are hydrolyzed
by lipoprotein lipase located on the walls of
blood capillaries

The action of lipoprotein lipase (results in the

loss of approx. 90% of TAG of chylomicron &
the loss of Apo C) forms remnant lipoproteins or
chylomicron remnant.
Liver is responsible for the uptake of remnant
lipoproteins, mediated by a receptor specific for
Apo E.
LDL is metabolized via the LDL receptor
HDL takes part in both lipoprotein TAG &
cholesterol metabolism

Liver plays a central role in lipid transport &

metabolism:
Facilitate digestion & absorption of lipids by the
production of bile
It has active enzyme systems for synthesizing &
oxidizing FA aand synthetizing TAGs &
phospholipids
It converts FA to ketone bodies (ketogenesis)
It plays an integral part in the synthesis &
metabolism of plasma lipoprotein.

Clinical aspects & others

Imbalance in the rate of TAG formation & export

causes fatty liver when accumulation of lipid in
the liver becomes chronic, fibrotic changes occur in
the cell that progress to cirrhosis & impaired liver
function.
Ethanol also causes fatty liver.
Adipose tissue is the main store of TAG in the body.
Lipolysis is controlled by hormone-sensitive lipase

Increased glucose metabolism reduces the output of

FFA
Insulin reduces the output of FFA fall in circulating
plasma FFA.
Several hormones promote lipolysis:
Glucocorticoids
Thyroid hormones
Catecholamines
Brown adipose tissue promotes thermogenesis.