Since the development of coronary heart disease (CAD) is affected by a specific pattern of plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL) effects it may be useful to know whether this occurs already in childhood. In this study we evaluated particle size distribution of HDL by gradient gel electrophoresis and the determination of cholesterol esterification rate (FER(HDL)) in plasma depleted of apo B lipoproteins in 221 children (108 boys and 113 girls) aged 4 months to 20 years. Total plasma- (TC), low-density lipoprotein- (LDL-C) and HDL- (HDL-C) cholesterol, HDL unesterified cholesterol (HDL-UC) and plasma triglycerides (TG) were also measured. There were no significant gender and age differences with respect to the plasma TC, LDL-TC and TG but concentration of HDL-TC increased with age. Post-pubertal girls had significantly higher relative concentrations of HDL2b compared to boys (30.4% vs 17.2%), while HDL3b,c was lower in post-pubertal girls (8.7% vs. 16.5%). FER(HDL) correlated inversely with HDL2b and positively with HDL3b,c particles and was significantly higher in boys of the post-pubertal group compared to girls (16.9%/h vs 12.5%/h). While in girls there was a positive correlation between age and HDL-C, HDL-UC and the relative concentration of HDL2b no significant correlation were observed in boys. In girls the increase in TC showed a significant correlation with a simultaneous increase in HDL-C, HDL-UC and HDL2b. In boys TC correlated significantly with changes in TG only. When HDL2b and HDL3b,c cholesterol levels are calculated from HDL-C concentration and per cent distribution the differences between males and females are further emphasized. These data indicate that HDL particle size distribution is age- and gender-dependent.