Which lipoprotein is primarily produced by the liver?

• A. Chylomicrons
• B. HDL
• C. VLDL
• D. IDL

Answer: (C)

The liver’s main job here is to package endogenous fats for export, and that is done by very-low-density lipoprotein. Hepatocytes assemble triglycerides and cholesterol into VLDL and release it into the bloodstream to deliver these fats to peripheral tissues. Chylomicrons, in contrast, are formed in the intestinal mucosa from dietary fats. HDL is produced by both the liver and the intestine and functions largely in reverse cholesterol transport, not primarily as the liver’s export vehicle for endogenous lipids. IDL is a downstream lipoprotein that results after VLDL loses triglycerides. So the lipoprotein most characteristically produced by the liver is VLDL.