Chylomicrons (from the Greek
chylo, meaning
juice or
milky fluid, and
micron, meaning
small particle) are
lipoprotein particles that consist of
triglycerides (85–92%),
phospholipids (6–12%),
cholesterol (1–3%), and
proteins (1–2%). They transport dietary
lipids from the intestines to other locations in the body. Chylomicrons are one of the five major groups of lipoproteins (chylomicrons,
very low-density lipoprotein,
intermediate-density lipoprotein,
low-density lipoprotein,
high-density lipoprotein) that enable fats and
cholesterol to move within the water-based solution of the bloodstream.
