Nutrition-Endocrine Interrelationships in the Control of Fat Transport in Man

Abstract

An attempt has been made to summarize our current knowledge of fat transport in physiologic terms and to review the effects of changes in nutritional and endocrine status upon fat transport and the steady-state concentration of the plasma lipoproteins, i.e. [alpha]-lipoproteins, [beta]-lipoproteins, chylomicrons, and non-esterified fatty acids-albumin complexes. Much further research is needed to clarify the action and interrelationships of specific nutrients and specific hormones in the control of plasma lipoprotein concentrations and the turnover of their lipid and protein constituents. It is suggested that the [beta]-lipoproteins may be looked upon as the agents of atherosclerosis, recognizing that an agent is an essential but not necessarily sufficient cause for a disease.