High resolution density gradient ultracentrifugation (DGUC) and non-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (GGE) indicate that low density lipoprotein (LDL) in both normal and hyperlipidaemic subjects is composed of overlapping particle populations. A new centrifugation procedure has been developed which permits the separation of LDL subspecies directly from plasma within 24 h. The profiles obtained were analogous to those seen on gradient gel electrophoresis. LDL was divided into 3 fractions. The plasma concentration of LDL-I seen in young females was twice that in men (85.6 +/- 28.8 vs. 42.3 +/- 25.7 mg/dl, P less than 0.005). LDL-II was not significantly different in any group while LDL-III was specifically elevated in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients (207.1 +/- 92.6 mg/dl in CAD vs. 87.4 +/- 79.6 mg/dl in normal men, P less than 0.05). The presence of small, dense LDL detected either by density gradient centrifugation or gel electrophoresis was associated with raised triglyceride (TG) and low high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and may be a risk marker for coronary artery disease.