Unlike low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which delivers cholesterol to tissues and contributes to plaque formation in arteries, HDL has a protective role by removing excess cholesterol from peripheral tissues and artery walls and transporting it back to the liver for excretion or re-utilization. This process, known as reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), is central to HDL’s cardiovascular benefits and helps reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke. The most well-known and studied function of HDL is scavenging cholesterol from macrophages within arterial plaques and other peripheral cells and returning it to the liver—a process that directly counters the development of vascular plaques. HDL interacts with several receptors and transporter proteins on cell surfaces, including ABCA1, ABCG1, and SR-B1, to mediate cholesterol efflux and delivery. AkrivisBio’s HDL Uptake Assay is a simple, sensitive way to measure cholesterol uptake.
