Which lipoprotein is made in the liver and carries triacylglycerides all over the body?

• A. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)
• B. Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL)
• C. Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)
• D. Chylomicrons

Answer: (B)

Lipoproteins differ by where they’re made and what they carry. The liver packages triglycerides into a particle called VLDL, which then travels through the bloodstream to deliver endogenous triglycerides to tissues such as muscle and adipose tissue. Once VLDL reaches capillaries, lipoprotein lipase hydrolyzes its triglycerides, releasing fatty acids for use or storage, and the particle becomes smaller and richer in cholesterol (IDL and eventually LDL). Chylomicrons, by contrast, are formed in the intestine from dietary fats and also carry triglycerides, but they originate from the gut, not the liver. HDL helps with reverse cholesterol transport, returning cholesterol to the liver. Because the liver-produced particle that carries triglycerides to tissues throughout the body is VLDL, that is the best answer.