cholesterol
Sign in to saveCholesterol is the principal sterol of all animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.
AI overview
Cholesterol is a fatty substance found throughout your body, particularly in your brain and spinal cord, and in animal-based foods like meat and dairy products. It's a natural compound that all animals produce and use, though the amount you consume or your body produces can affect your health.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
27 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Physiology
- Function
- Membranes
- Substrate presentation
- Signaling
- As a chemical precursor
- Epidermis
- Metabolism
- Biosynthesis and regulation
- Biosynthesis
- Regulation of cholesterol synthesis
- Plasma transport and regulation of absorption
- Metabolism, recycling and excretion
- Dietary sources
- Medical guidelines and recommendations
- Clinical significance
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Hypocholesterolemia
- Testing
- Interactive pathway map
- Cholesteric liquid crystals
- Stereoisomers
- Additional images
- See also
- References
- External links
Cholesterol is the principal sterol of all animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.
Cholesterol is biosynthesized by all animal cells and is an essential structural and signaling component of animal cell membranes. In vertebrates, hepatic cells typically produce the greatest amounts. In the brain, astrocytes produce cholesterol and transport it to neurons. It is absent among prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea), although there are some exceptions, such as Mycoplasma, which require cholesterol for growth. Cholesterol also serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, bile acid, and vitamin D.