Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Cholesterol Efflux Assay
07:54

Cholesterol Efflux Assay

Published on: March 6, 2012

Physiologic role and clinical significance of reverse cholesterol transport

J M Bleicher1, A G Lacko

  • 1Department of Medicine, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Worth 76107-2690.

The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association
|May 1, 1992
PubMed

Insights

Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels are a risk factor for heart disease. This review explores HDL

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Atherosclerosis Research

Background:

  • Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease.
  • The exact role of HDL in preventing or reversing atherosclerosis remains unclear.
  • Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is a proposed mechanism involving HDL, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase, and cholesteryl ester transfer protein.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in the components of reverse cholesterol transport.
  • To evaluate the clinical significance of RCT in atherosclerosis.
  • To explore the potential of RCT in the early diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent research on HDL, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase, and cholesteryl ester transfer protein.
  • Analysis of the physiological role and clinical implications of reverse cholesterol transport.
  • Evaluation of diagnostic and therapeutic potential related to RCT components.

Main Results:

  • Reverse cholesterol transport is a critical physiological process.
  • The components of RCT, including HDL, play a role in cholesterol homeostasis.
  • Understanding RCT offers potential insights into atherosclerosis management.

Conclusions:

  • While RCT is a key mechanism, its precise clinical significance in atherosclerosis requires further investigation.
  • Advances in understanding RCT components may lead to novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for atherosclerosis.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the clinical utility of targeting RCT for cardiovascular disease prevention.

More Related Videos

LDL Cholesterol Uptake Assay Using Live Cell Imaging Analysis with Cell Health Monitoring08:45

LDL Cholesterol Uptake Assay Using Live Cell Imaging Analysis with Cell Health Monitoring

Published on: November 17, 2018

High-throughput Nitrobenzoxadiazole-labeled Cholesterol Efflux Assay08:18

High-throughput Nitrobenzoxadiazole-labeled Cholesterol Efflux Assay

Published on: January 7, 2019

Related Concept Videos

The Significance of Membrane Transport01:44

The Significance of Membrane Transport

The transport of solutes across the cell membrane is essential for metabolic processes, like maintaining cell size and volume, generating the action potential, exchanging nutrients and gases, etc. Membrane transport can be either passive or active. It can be simple diffusion, facilitated, or mediated transport aided by transport proteins such as transporters and channels.
Transporters facilitate either an active or passive movement of solutes. They can allow a single-molecule transport down its...
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation01:29

Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation

Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
Carrier-Mediated Transport01:06

Carrier-Mediated Transport

Carrier-mediated transport is a pivotal process in drug absorption, particularly for lipid-insoluble drugs, and encompasses facilitated diffusion and active transport. Facilitated diffusion allows drugs to move along their concentration gradient without energy expenditure, while active transport utilizes ATP to drive drug movement against this gradient.
Active transport involves two types of membrane-spanning transporters: uptake and efflux. Uptake transporters are expressed in the small...
Hepatic Drug Clearance: Role of Transporters01:14

Hepatic Drug Clearance: Role of Transporters

In the liver and bile canaliculi, influx and efflux transporters modification can influence intrinsic clearance. Transporters play a significant role in moving drugs within liver cells. Elaborate models, such as the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS), are essential to relate transporters to drug disposition. This system categorizes drugs into four classes based on solubility and permeability, providing insights into elimination routes and the effects of transporters following oral...
Physiological Pharmacokinetic Models: Incorporating Hepatic Transporter-Mediated Clearance01:07

Physiological Pharmacokinetic Models: Incorporating Hepatic Transporter-Mediated Clearance

Drug transporters are critical in drug absorption, distribution, and excretion processes. They should be included in physiological-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models, which help predict human drug disposition. However, predicting this is challenging during drug development, especially when liver transport is involved. However, with a realistic representation of body transport processes, an accurate model may be possible.
A recent model describes pravastatin's hepatobiliary excretion, mediated...
Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System III: Serum Lipid Profile01:25

Blood Studies for Cardiovascular System III: Serum Lipid Profile

Understanding serum lipids is crucial for maintaining cardiovascular health and preventing heart disease and stroke.
Serum lipids are fats and fatty substances in the blood and are crucial for various bodily functions, including energy storage, cellular structure, and hormone production. Serum lipids consist of cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids.
Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like substance found in all body cells. It is crucial for producing hormones, vitamin D, and substances that aid...