Active lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is known as a noncovalent homodimer of identical subunits, and dissociation of the dimer to a monomeric form renders the lipase inactive. In this study, the oligomerization status of LPL in human and rat plasma was investigated. The LPL activity was barely detectable in the control rat and human plasma. After the injection of heparin, the total lipolytic activity of plasma was rapidly increased, and reached its maximum in 30 min. Changes of the LPL protein correlated well with those of lipolytic activity. The LPL protein that is released by heparin into both human and rat plasma was active and dimeric in the sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. In control rat plasma, LPL was inactive, and a great fraction was present as an aggregate. However, the inactive LPL protein in the control human plasma retained the dimeric state, indicating that dimerization can be an entity independent of the catalytic activity of LPL. The released LPL is transported as a complex with lipoproteins in plasma. Lipoprotein profiles, determined by NaBr ultracentrifugation, exhibited typical LDL- and HDL-mammal patterns in humans and rats, respectively, with a smaller amount of the LDL fraction observed in rats. The difference in the lipoprotein profiles might influence the fate of the released LPL in plasma.