Figure 1: An overview of reverse cholesterol transport. HDL promotes the process of reverse cholesterol transport, whereby excess cholesterol present in the macrophage is effluxed to HDL and ultimately delivered to liver for excretion. HDL: high-density lipoprotein; CE: cholesterol ester; FC: free cholesterol; Apo A-I: apolipoprotein A-I; ABCA1: adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter A1; LCAT: lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase; CETP: cholesterol ester transfer protein; PLTP: phospholipid transfer protein; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; LDL-R: low-density lipoprotein receptor; SR-BI: scavenger receptor class B-type I; VLDL: very low-density lipoprotein; TGL: triglycerides.