The importance of apolipoproteins in the central nervous system became increasingly clear with the association in 1993 of the epsilon4 allele of apolipoprotein E with familial and sporadic late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Apolipoprotein E is a ligand for several receptors, most of which are found to some extent in the brain. This review summarizes the various apolipoproteins and lipoprotein receptors found in the brain. A growing body of evidence now implicates irregular lipoprotein metabolism in several neurodegenerative disorders. We then focus on research linking apolipoprotein E and Alzheimer's disease, from clinical studies to biochemical models, which may explain some of the complex neurobiology of this disorder.
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