Rapid preparative isolation of concentrated low density lipoproteins and of lipoprotein-deficient serum using vertical rotor gradient ultracentrifugation.

In order to study cellular metabolism of low density lipoproteins (LDL), ultracentrifugal methods have been used to isolate the lipoproteins. The use of vertical rotor ultracentrifugation very quickly produces small quantities of diluted lipoproteins per gradient, as well as small volumes of lipoprotein-deficient serum. We present modifications to this method in order to prepare routinely more concentrated LDL and a sufficient volume of lipoprotein-deficient serum in a relatively short time with minimal cost and handling.