Question

Why are certain proteins needed—such as albumin and alpha and beta globulins—to transport lipids (e.g., fatty acids, triglycerides, and cholesterol) within a body?

Answer 1

Answer

• Lipids are nonpolar and are less soluble in water and hence they are less soluble in plasma as well as interstitial fluid.
• To transport these lipids within the body, their solubility and concentration must be increased.
• Thus lipids nedd binding proteins to move across plasma and insterstitial fluid.
• Albumin acts as a fatty acid transporter. The binding sites on albumin has high affinity with the fatty acids and it increases the concentration of fatty acids and they are easily transported within the body.
• Similar to fatty acids, Triglycerides and cholesterol molecules too possess low solubility in plasma and hence they are converted to lipoproteins prior to their transport.
• Alpha and beta globulins bind to lipid molecules to for a complex called lipoprotein.
• There are two main type of lipoprotein concentartion in blood : Low density lipoprotein (LDL) and High density lipoprotein (HDL)