The paper presents data on distribution of human aortic high density lipoproteins (A-HDL) according to their size. A-HDL were isolated from the aortic intima (autopsy material) and analyzed by the gradient gel electrophoresis method. The obtained data show that the clear-cut difference exists between size distribution of A-HDL from patients whose death was connected with atherosclerosis and those who died from the diseases not connected with atherosclerosis. In the first case small particles (HDL3B and HDL3C) were predominant. A-HDL with size corresponding to plasma HDL2A and HDL2B slightly predominated in normal intima and A-HDL with size of plasma HDL3A and HDL3C predominated in affected parts of intima. The principal component analysis of data permits suggesting that one of the factors responsible for the accumulation of small A-HDL is a decreased permeability of the affected parts of the vessel wall for the larger HDL particles. Besides, changes of the normal HDL metabolism can also be responsible for the presence of small HDL particles in the intima.