Definition

1. Noun:
   • A microscopic particle composed of triglycerides and protein, formed in the small intestine during the digestion of dietary fats. It is the primary means of transporting dietary lipids from the intestines into the bloodstream and lymphatic system.

Usage

• Noun:
  • Chylomicrons are essential for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
  • After a fatty meal, the level of chylomicrons in the blood increases temporarily.

Advanced Usage

• Medical/Biological Context: The term is used almost exclusively in scientific, medical, and nutritional contexts to describe lipid transport physiology and metabolism.
  • A genetic defect can impair the clearance of chylomicrons from the blood.

Variants and Related Words

• Chylomicronemia (n): The presence of an abnormally high concentration of chylomicrons in the blood.
  • The patient was diagnosed with familial chylomicronemia syndrome.

Synonyms

• Lipoprotein particle (specifically, the largest and least dense class of lipoproteins).
• Triglyceride-rich lipoprotein.

Related Phrases/Concepts

• Chylomicron remnant: The particle that remains after most of the triglycerides in a chylomicron have been removed by tissues; it is taken up by the liver.
  • The liver metabolizes chylomicron remnants.

Noun

1. a microscopic particle of triglycerides produced in the intestines during digestion; in the bloodstream they release their fatty acids into the blood