Exogenous triglycerides are transported in plasma in what form?

Exogenous triglycerides are transported in plasma in what form?

• A. Phospholipids
• B. Cholesteryl esters
• C. Chylomicrons
• D. Free fatty acids

Answer: (C)

Exogenous triglycerides from the diet travel in plasma as chylomicrons, large triglyceride-rich lipoprotein particles produced by intestinal enterocytes after fat absorption. In the enterocytes, fats are re-esterified into triglycerides and packed with apolipoproteins (notably ApoB-48), phospholipids, and cholesterol to form nascent chylomicrons. These particles are released into the lymphatic system and then into the bloodstream, where lipoprotein lipase on capillary walls hydrolyzes the triglycerides, delivering fatty acids to tissues and forming chylomicron remnants that the liver clears. Other options don’t correspond to the carrier form for dietary triglycerides: phospholipids are just a component of lipoproteins, cholesteryl esters mainly carry cholesterol, and free fatty acids in plasma are typically bound to albumin rather than transported as a lipoprotein particle.

Exogenous triglycerides from the diet travel in plasma as chylomicrons, large triglyceride-rich lipoprotein particles produced by intestinal enterocytes after fat absorption. In the enterocytes, fats are re-esterified into triglycerides and packed with apolipoproteins (notably ApoB-48), phospholipids, and cholesterol to form nascent chylomicrons. These particles are released into the lymphatic system and then into the bloodstream, where lipoprotein lipase on capillary walls hydrolyzes the triglycerides, delivering fatty acids to tissues and forming chylomicron remnants that the liver clears. Other options don’t correspond to the carrier form for dietary triglycerides: phospholipids are just a component of lipoproteins, cholesteryl esters mainly carry cholesterol, and free fatty acids in plasma are typically bound to albumin rather than transported as a lipoprotein particle.