HDL is considered a 'good' cholesterol because it removes cholesterol from circulation and returns it to the liver. Which best describes its function?

• A. They transport triglycerides to muscle tissue
• B. They are produced by the intestine
• C. They are the largest triglyceride carrier
• D. They remove cholesterol from circulation and return it to the liver

Answer: (D)

HDL’s job is reverse cholesterol transport: it scavenges excess cholesterol from tissues and from arterial plaques and carries it back to the liver for processing and excretion. This clearing of cholesterol from circulation is what makes HDL “good” for cardiovascular health.

The idea of transporting triglycerides to muscle tissue describes the role of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins like VLDL and chylomicrons, not HDL. Calling HDL the largest triglyceride carrier is inaccurate—those bulky carriers are chiefly chylomicrons. While HDL is produced in the liver (and to some extent in the intestine), its primary description isn’t about where it’s made but what it does—removing cholesterol from circulation and returning it to the liver.