Receptors of the scavenger class B family were reported to be localized in caveolae, the cell surface microdomains rich in free cholesterol and glycosphyngolipids, which are characterized by the presence of caveolin-1. Parenchymal hepatic and hepatoma HepG2 cells express very low levels of caveolin-1. In the present study, stable transformants of HepG2 cells expressing caveolin-1 were generated to address the effect of caveolin-1 on receptor activity. Compared to normal cells, these cells show higher (125)I-bovine serum albumin (BSA) uptake and cholesterol efflux, two indicators of functional caveolae. By immunoprecipitation, cell fractionation and confocal analyses, we found that caveolin-1 is well colocalized with the cluster of differentiation-36 (CD36) and the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLr) but to a lesser extent with the scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) in HepG2 cells expressing caveolin-1. However, caveolin-1 expression favors the dimerization of SR-BI. Two clones of cells expressing caveolin-1 were investigated for their lipoprotein metabolism activity. Compared to normal cells, these cells show a 71-144% increase in (125)I-LDL degradation. The analysis of the cholesteryl esters (CE)-selective uptake (CE association minus protein association) revealed that the expression of caveolin-1 in HepG2 cells decreases by 59%-73% LDL-CE selective uptake and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-CE selective uptake by 44%-66%. We conclude that the expression of caveolin-1 in HepG2 cells moves the balance of LDL degradation/CE selective uptake towards degradation and favors HDL-CE selective uptake. Thus, in the normal hepatic parenchymal situation where caveolin-1 is poorly expressed, LDL-CE selective uptake is the preferred pathway.