Triglyzeride: the pathway in the body

Triglyzeride is part of the pathway “Triglycerides”. This page shows the whole pathway; the station of Triglyzeride is highlighted.

Where this laboratory value sits: VLDL — lipoprotein from the liver. Using apolipoprotein B-100 and the protein MTP, the liver packages triglycerides into VLDL particles and releases them into the blood. Source 4

In brief

Triglycerides are fats made of three fatty acids and one glycerol, taken in with food or made in the liver. Chylomicrons and VLDL carry them in the blood to muscle and adipose tissue.

The pathway step by step

1. Dietary fat → Fatty acids released Pancreatic lipase · Bile acids, Colipase Bile acids break fat into fine droplets. Pancreatic lipase splits off two of the three fatty acids, leaving a monoglyceride. The protein colipase holds the enzyme on the droplet. Source 1
2. Fatty acids released → Triglycerides again MGAT, DGAT Fatty acids and monoglyceride enter the cells of the gut wall. There the enzymes MGAT and DGAT reassemble them into triglycerides. Source 1, 2
3. Triglycerides again → Chylomicrons MTP · Apolipoprotein B-48 The protein MTP loads apolipoprotein B-48 with fat. This forms chylomicrons, which the gut cell releases into the lymph; from there they reach the blood. Source 2
4. Chylomicron in blood → Free fatty acids Lipoprotein lipase · Apolipoprotein C-II Lipoprotein lipase sits on the inner wall of small vessels and splits the fatty acids off the triglycerides. Apolipoprotein C-II switches the enzyme on. Source 3
5. Free fatty acids → Muscle and fat tissue CD36, FATP Muscle cells feed the fatty acids into β-oxidation and gain energy from them. Fat cells rebuild triglycerides from them and store them in droplets. Source 3, 5
6. Chylomicron in blood → Chylomicron remnant What remains is a smaller particle in which cholesterol predominates. The liver recognises it by apolipoprotein E and absorbs it. Source 4
7. Chylomicron remnant → Liver LDL receptor, LRP1 · Apolipoprotein E The liver absorbs chylomicron remnants and free fatty acids and makes triglycerides from them again. Source 4
8. Liver → VLDL MTP · Apolipoprotein B-100 Using apolipoprotein B-100 and the protein MTP, the liver packages triglycerides into VLDL particles and releases them into the blood. Source 4
9. VLDL → LDL Lipoprotein lipase VLDL also gives up fatty acids to lipoprotein lipase and becomes smaller. Via the intermediate IDL, the remaining particles become cholesterol-rich LDL. Source 4

Cofactors in this pathway

• Bile acids — Break dietary fat into fine droplets on which pancreatic lipase acts Source 1In the ORY catalogue as a laboratory value: Gallensäuren (Stuhl)
• Carnitine — Carries fatty acids into the mitochondria, where β-oxidation takes place Source 5In the ORY catalogue as a laboratory value: Carnitin
• Coenzyme A — Activates fatty acids for reassembly into triglycerides and for β-oxidation Source 1, 5
• NAD⁺ — Accepts hydrogen in β-oxidation Source 5In the ORY catalogue as a laboratory value: NAD⁺ (Nicotinamidadenindinukleotid)
• Vitamin B2 (FAD) — Cofactor of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenases in the first step of β-oxidation Source 5

What acts on this pathway

• Orlistat — Orlistat inhibits the lipases of the stomach and pancreas. As a result, part of the dietary triglycerides is not split into fatty acids and leaves the gut unchanged. The prescribing information describes this mechanism. Source 6

Sources

1. Iqbal J, Hussain MM. Intestinal lipid absorption. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2009 · PubMed 19158321
2. Hussain MM. Intestinal lipid absorption and lipoprotein formation. Curr Opin Lipidol 2014 · PubMed 24751933
3. Wen Y, Chen YQ, Konrad RJ. The Regulation of Triacylglycerol Metabolism and Lipoprotein Lipase Activity. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2022 · PubMed 35676229
4. Feingold KR, Adler RA, Ahmed SF et al. Introduction to Lipids and Lipoproteins. Endotext 2000 · PubMed 26247089
5. Houten SM, Wanders RJ. A general introduction to the biochemistry of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation. J Inherit Metab Dis 2010 · PubMed 20195903
6. US prescribing information Xenical (Orlistat, DailyMed), section 12.1 Mechanism of Action · Prescribing information

Whole pathway: Triglycerides

Related pathways

• APOE — chylomicrons
• Cholesterol and lipoproteins — chylomicrons
• Trans fatty acids — chylomicrons
• Vitamin E — chylomicrons
• Ketone bodies — Carnitin, NAD⁺ (Nicotinamidadenindinukleotid)

As of 2026-09-16. Draft written by Claude to schema v2; sources checked in PubMed; expert review pending
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