The characteristic pathophysiological changes in preeclampsia are thou
ght to be related to abnormalities of the maternal vascular endotheliu
m. We suggest that the blood components that affect the risk of such d
amage are very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), which injure the endot
helium, and toxicity-preventing activity (the pl 5.6 form of plasma al
bumin), which protects against VLDL-induced injury.