Apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA1) is the primary protein component of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. HDL's main function involves reverse cholesterol transport, where it removes excess cholesterol from cells and tissues throughout the body and transports it back to the liver for excretion or recycling. ApoA1 plays a crucial role in activating lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), an enzyme that converts free cholesterol into cholesteryl esters, which can then be sequestered within the HDL particle. This process helps prevent cholesterol accumulation in arterial walls.
ApoA1
Carrier protein for HDL.