methods of treating diseases or conditions , characterized by elevated serum lipoprotein levels , by providing elevated levels of a vldl receptor in an animal , e . g ., a human are set forth . such receptors aid in removal of circulating vldl and related lipoproteins , and thus decrease the risk of developing coronary diseases or conditions or decrease the severity of such diseases or conditions . clones of human and mouse vldl receptor which can be used in the invention are also provided . vectors for the expression of vldl receptors , stably transfected and transformed cells and transgenic animals are also provided .