LDL particles primarily carry which molecule?

• A. Cholesterol
• B. Triglycerides
• C. Glucose
• D. Amino acids

Answer: (A)

LDL particles primarily carry cholesterol. In the lipoprotein family, LDL forms after triglyceride-rich VLDL is processed, and the particle becomes rich in cholesterol esters. Its main job is to deliver cholesterol to cells throughout the body for membrane synthesis and hormone production. Triglycerides, on the other hand, are mostly carried by VLDL and chylomicrons; glucose and amino acids aren’t carried by lipoproteins in the same cargo way—they’re transported in the bloodstream largely as free glucose or amino acids (and in other carriers), not as the primary load of LDL. Understanding this helps explain why high LDL cholesterol is a risk factor for atherosclerosis: more cholesterol is being delivered and deposited in arterial walls.