A method is described which allows the determination of phospholipids, free and esterified cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids in lipoprotein fractions starting from 50 microliter of serum. Lipoproteins were separated by successive precipitation: VLDL with Heparin/Mg++, LDL with Dextran sulfate/Mg++ and finally HDL with Dextran sulfate/Mn++. Lipids extracted from the precipitated lipoproteins were determined gravimetrically and by densitometry after thin layer chromatography and charring (van Gent, C.M. (1968), Z. Anal. Chem. 236, 344--350; Egge, H. et al. (1970) Z. Klin. Chem. Klin. Biochem. 8, 488--491). The results obtained from the serum of 12 adult healthy persons were compared with those from lipoprotein fractions separated by preparative ultracentrifugation (Havel, R. J. et al. (1955) J. Clin. Invest. 34, 1345--1353). The distribution of lipids in beta-lipoproteins (d less than 1.063 g/ml) and HDL (1.063 less than d less than 1.21 g/ml) prepared by both methods showed good agreement. Some differences were observed between VLDL (d less than 1.006 g/ml) and VHDL (d greater than 1.21 g/ml) prepared either by precipitation or ultracentrifugation. Compared to the total lipid of the sera, recovery rates were 95--105%. Variation coefficients were in the range of 15--20% for VLDL lipids, 5--10% for LDL and HDL lipids and 10--15% for VHDL lipids. Gravimetrically determined total lipids had a variation coefficient of 4 and 6% for LDL and HDL respectively.