10 Lipoprotein(a) Quantitation
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Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) was first discovered in 1963, by Kare Berg, as a variant of the beta-lipoproteins. Many years later, Lp(a) has been identified as an independent risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease (1 ). During the last two decades the structure and composition of Lp(a) has been investigated using different physicochemical and biochemical methods (2 ,3 ). These studies revealed that Lp(a) resembles the cholesterol-rich low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle, except for an additional glycoprotein called apolipoprotein(a) (apo[a]), which is mainly produced in the liver. Apo(a) is covalently linked via a disulfide bridge to apolipoprotein B-100, the major protein constituent of LDL. In contrast to apolipoprotein B-100, which is important for the structure of the lipoprotein particle, it is supposed that apo(a) is loosely adhered to the surface of the particle.
