cholesterol, a waxy substance that is present in the blood plasma and in all

animal tissues. Chemically, cholesterol is an organic compound belonging to the

steroid family; its molecular formula is C27H46O. In its pure state it is a white,
crystalline substance that is odourless and tasteless. Cholesterol is essential to
life; it is a primary component of the membrane that surrounds each cell, and it is
the starting material or an intermediate compound from which the body
synthesizes bile acids, steroid hormones, and vitamin D. Cholesterol circulates in
the bloodstream and is synthesized by ... (100 of 592 words)
Cholesterol is a waxy steroid of fat that is manufactured in the liver or intestines.
It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the
blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of
mammalian cell membranes. It is required to establish proper membrane
permeability and fluidity. In addition cholesterol is an important component for the
manufacture of bile acids, steroid hormones, and Vitamin D. Cholesterol is the
principal sterol synthesized by animals; however, small quantities can be
synthesized in eukaryotes such as plants and fungi. It is almost completely
absent among prokaryotes including bacteria.[3] Although cholesterol is important
and necessary for mammals, high levels of cholesterol in the blood can damage
arteries and are potentially linked to diseases such as those associated with the
cardiovascular system (heart disease).

The name cholesterol originates from the Greek chole- (bile) and stereos (solid),
and the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol. François Poulletier de la Salle first
identified cholesterol in solid form in gallstones, in 1769. However, it was only in
1815 that chemist Eugène Chevreul named the compound "cholesterine".[5]
Cholesteric liquid crystals

Some cholesterol derivatives, (among other simple cholesteric lipids) are known
to generate the liquid crystalline cholesteric phase. The cholesteric phase is in
fact a chiral nematic phase, and changes colour when its temperature changes.
This makes cholesterol derivatives useful for indicating temperature in liquid
crystal display thermometers and in temperature-sensitive paints