Cholesterol

Cholesterol belongs to a class of sterols (mixture of alcohol and steroid). Cholesterol - lipid, present in cell membranes across the entire organism. As cholesterol is produced in all eukaryotes, some amounts of it can be traced in membranes of fungi and plants. The majority of cholesterol is produced by the organism and is originally dietary substance. The abundance of cholesterol can be seen in tissues which produce more or possess more strongly packed membranes, such as, spinal cord, brain and liver.

Cholesterol's role in great number of biochemical processes is core; for example, in constructions of cell membranes or production of steroid hormones.

Cholesterol can't be dissolved in blood and it does not possess the feature of solubility and ability to travel through bloodstream based on water. Actually, it's transferred with the bloodstream and through the circulatory system with the help of lipoproteins - protein carriers which can dissolve in water and keep cholesterol and triglycerides inside. However, large amount of cholesterol can result in atherosclerosis and may be harmful to the organism. Some medicines were worked out to lessen the amount of cholesterol in the body and block it: Crestor, Lipitor, Zocor and some other ones.