Reverse cholesterol transport: From classical view to new insights

Figure 1 Cholesterol excretion routes. The filled arrows represent the classical route, and the dashed arrows represent the alternative route. In the classical view, apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-l) and high-density lipoprotein mediate cholesterol transport from the periphery towards the liver. Cholesterol is subsequently secreted into bile and is excreted via the feces. The alternative route describes the transport of non-biliary cholesterol towards the intestine for fecal excretion. How non-biliary cholesterol reaches the intestine is the subject of investigation.