Cholesterol is a hydrocarbon with one hydroxyl group. The body manufacutures 80%
of the cholesterol needed in the liver,with the rest coming from animal foods. The
cholesterol in the body is stored in our phospholipid cell membranes, and it helps
prevent phospholipids from crystallizing. This molecule also affects membranes by
increasing their stability causing them to be less permeable. If too much choloesterol
is produced or consumed, a buildup occurrs in the arteries, and this can lead
to heart disease. If the artery supplying blood to the heart is completely blocked, a heart
attack results.
Lab name:
Common molecules
Sample provider:
Obtained courtesy of the Cambridge Structural Database
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