The word cholesterol comes from Ancient Greek chole- 'bile' and stereos 'solid', followed by the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol. See more

Cholesterol is essential for all animal life. While most cells are capable of synthesizing it, the majority of cholesterol is ingested or synthesized by hepatocytes and transported in the blood to peripheral cells. The levels … See more

Almost all animal tissues synthesize cholesterol from acetyl-CoA. All animal cells (exceptions exist within the invertebrates) manufacture cholesterol, for both membrane structure and other uses, with relative pro… See more

Animal fats are complex mixtures of triglycerides, with lesser amounts of both the phospholipids and cholesterol molecules from which all animal (and human) cell membranes are constructed. Since all animal cell… See more

According to the lipid hypothesis, elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood lead to atherosclerosis which may increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease. Since higher blood LDL – especially … See more