Wiktionary
n. (context protein English) Any protein that can bind with a lipid to form a lipoprotein
Wikipedia
Apolipoproteins are proteins that bind lipids (oil-soluble substances such as fat and cholesterol) to form lipoproteins. They transport the lipids through the lymphatic and circulatory systems.
The lipid components of lipoproteins are insoluble in water. However, because of their detergent-like ( amphipathic) properties, apolipoproteins and other amphipathic molecules (such as phospholipids) can surround the lipids, creating the lipoprotein particle that is itself water-soluble, and can thus be carried through water-based circulation (i.e., blood, lymph).
Apolipoproteins also serve as enzyme cofactors, receptor ligands, and lipid transfer carriers that regulate the metabolism of lipoproteins and their uptake in tissues.
Usage examples of "apolipoprotein".
Moderate drinkers can raise their glasses again: alcohol increases the best kind of apolipoprotein, known as apo A-l, just as effectively as it increases the level of HDLs.
HDLs were the trendy blood component of the 1980s, something called apolipoproteins will surely become the blood buzzword of the nineties.
The latest research tentatively demonstrates that the level of certain apolipoproteins in your bloodstream predicts your chances of having a heart attack even more accurately than the HDLs do.