Dr. Trudy M. Forte, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Cholesterol . Click on the molecule to learn more about it. Plasma cholesterol is thought to play an important role in the development of coronary heart disease, mainly atherosclerosis. HDL, or good cholesterol, is protective against atherosclerosis, while LDL, often referred to as bad cholesterol, is a positive risk factor. Factors that predispose an individual to developing the disease include smoking, obesity, stress, hypertension, and heredity.
Lipoproteins are structures that transport cholesterol.
The surface coat of a lipoprotein consists of unesterified cholesterol, phospholipids, and apoproteins. The types and amounts of apoproteins on the surface coat help to distinguish between the different lipoproteins, i.e. HDLs and LDLs. Triglycerides and cholesterol esters comprise the core of the lipoprotein. This role is crucial since the oxidation of LDL and the subsequent formation of a foam cell initiates the development of atherosclerosis. Studies have shown that apoprotein A1 and PON may be closely associated.