title: Apolipoproteins, membrane cholesterol domains, and the regulation of cholesterol efflux.
abstract: Published data related to both cell membrane biology and apolipoprotein structure are reviewed and used to formulate a new model describing the mechanisms of cholesterol efflux from cell plasma membrane to high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. The central premise of this model is the existence of heterogenous domains of cholesterol within plasma membranes. We propose that cholesterol efflux from cell membranes is influenced by three factors: 1) the distribution of cholesterol between cholesterol-rich and cholesterol-poor membrane domains, 2) the diffusion of cholesterol molecules through the extracellular unstirred water layer, and 3) the transient interaction of segments of the amphipathic helix of the HDL apolipoprotein with cholesterol-poor membrane domains resulting in enhanced cholesterol efflux.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19129.
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Rothblat
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Mahlberg
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D001692:Biological Transport; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; D002784:Cholesterol