The LDL receptor was discovered by Goldstein and Brown in 1974. This discovery has led to dramatic progress toward understanding the mechanisms of cholesterol homeostasis. Recently we have found a second lipoprotein receptor that specifically binds apoE-containing lipoproteins. This new lipoprotein receptor designated VLDL receptor is composed of five functional domains that resemble the LDL receptor. The VLDL mRNA is abundant in heart, muscle and adipose tissue, suggesting that the receptor mediates the uptake of triglyceriderich lipoproteins thereby providing muscle and fat cells with fatty acid.