Cholesterol, a vital sterol present in animals, performs a crucial role in the body. In fungi, a similar compound called ergosterol carries out a function comparable to cholesterol. Ergosterol is a mycosterol found in fungi.
To reduce cholesterol levels in the blood and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, statins are used. Statins target a pathway that involves the first 18 steps of the 37-step process by which the body produces cholesterol.
When exposed to ultraviolet light, the body converts cholesterol into calcitriol, an active form of vitamin D produced in the kidneys. This conversion occurs under ultraviolet light’s influence.
The human body has a mechanism to recycle cholesterol through excretion from the liver and reabsorption into the bloodstream in the small intestine. This process helps maintain cholesterol levels in the body.
Cholesterol cannot cross the blood-brain barrier directly, so it is produced and transported by astrocytes in the brain. Astrocytes play a vital role in maintaining cholesterol levels in this area of the body.
Joseph Goldstein, an American biochemist, played a critical role in discovering how cholesterol leads to heart disease and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his pioneering work on this topic in 1985.
