Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is very rich in cholesterol and, in excess, is the main cause of coronary and other artery disease.
Most of the cholesterol in the blood is carried in LDL, so the total cholesterol level is a reflection of the amount of LDL cholesterol.
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Instead of being removed from the plasma in minutes or hours, LDL remains in the bloodstream for nearly three days. But eventually it's cleared, mostly by the liver.
The basic principle is simple: LDL is linked to another protein, called apoB. This recognises a specific receptor (LDL–R) on liver cell walls to which it docks before being taken into the liver cells.
The mechanism is important since it can be genetically faulty (a common occurence among South Africans), leading to the heavy accumulation of LDL in the bloodstream that gives rise to the inherited disorder of familial hypercholesterolaemia.
The accumulation of LDL cholesterol in the plasma is often termed "bad" cholesterol since it causes coronary heart disease (CHD).
Reviewed by Dr A.G. Hall (B.Soc.Sc.(SW), MB,Ch.B)
Last updated: 2008/02/18
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