Circulating chylomicrons acquire molecules of apolipoproteins C and E and through interaction with endothelial lipases lose a large fraction of their triacylglycerol. These changes convert them to chylomicron remnants which bind to LDL receptors, primarily on the surfaces of liver cells, clearing them from the circulation.
This binding and clearance process involves several steps and requires the presence of heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-associated hepatic lipase (HL). The molecular details of LDLR binding, and of the following steps of remnant endocytosis, are inferred from those of the coorresponding step of LDLR-mediated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) endocytosis (Redgrave 2004).