Figure 1.

Lipoprotein structure—an overview. Lipoproteins are a spherical monolayer of amphipatic phospholipids (yellow) and free/unesterified cholesterol (orange). The tails of the phospholipids create a hydrophobic core of non-polar lipids, primarily cholesterol esters (green) and triglycerides (pink), surrounded by a hydrophilic membrane of phospholipids, free cholesterol and apolipoproteins (blue). Lipoproteins differ in their lipid composition, size, density, major apolipoproteins and function [53]. Figure produced using Servier medical art [54].