Articles, compositions, kits, and methods relating to nanostructures, including those that can sequester molecules such as cholesterol, are provided. Certain embodiments described herein include structures having a core-shell type arrangement; for instance, a nanoparticle core may be surrounded by a shell including a material, such as a lipid bilayer, that can interact with cholesterol and/or other lipids. In some embodiments, the structures, when introduced into a subject, can sequester cholesterol and/or other lipids and remove them from circulation. Accordingly, the structures described herein may be used to diagnose, prevent, treat or manage certain diseases or bodily conditions, especially those associated with abnormal lipid levels.