Cholesterol 

Cholesterol is the major sterol in mammals. It is making up 20-25% of structural component of the plasma membrane. Plasma membranes are highly permeable to water but relatively impermeable to ions and protons. Cholesterol plays an important role in determining the fluidity and permeability characteristics of the membrane as well as the function of both the transporters and signaling proteins^[1][2]. Cholesterol is also an endogenous estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα) agonist^[3].

GT1-7 hypothalamic cells subjected to Cholesterol depletion in vitro produced 20-31% reductions in cellular Cholesterol content. All Cholesterol-depleted neuron-derived cells, exhibit decreased phosphorylation/activation of IRS-1 and AKT following stimulation by insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, or the neurotrophins (NGF and BDNF). Reduction in cellular Cholesterol also results in increased basal autophagy and impairment of induction of autophagy by glucose deprivation^[1].

MedChemExpress (MCE) has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.

Cholesterol can be used in animal modeling to construct a rat model of hyperlipidemia.

Insulin-deficient diabetes in mice can lead to a reduction in brain Cholesterol synthesis, which occurs through a change in expression of Cholesterol synthesis enzymes and their upstream regulators SREBP2 and SCAP1^[1].
The pool of Cholesterol in the whole animal is 2,200 mg/kg body weight. This is true for essentially all species from the mouse to the primate and indicates that the average concentration of Cholesterol in the whole animal is 2.2 mg/g fresh tissue^[2].
The basal metabolic rate in the mouse is 170 kilocalories (kcal)/day/kg, and the flow of Cholesterol from all peripheral organs to the liver is greater than 100 mg/day/kg^[2].

MedChemExpress (MCE) has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.

386.65

Solid

C₂₇H₄₆O

57-88-5

O[C@H](C1)CC[C@@]2(C)C1=CC[C@]3([H])[C@]2([H])CC[C@@]4(C)[C@@]3([H])CC[C@]4([H])[C@@H](CCCC(C)C)C

Room temperature in continental US; may vary elsewhere.

• [1]. Casaburi I, et al. Cholesterol as an Endogenous ERRα Agonist: A New Perspective to Cancer Treatment. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2018 Sep 11;9:525.  [Content Brief]

  [2]. Dietschy JM, et al. Thematic review series: brain Lipids. Cholesterol metabolism in the central nervous system during early development and in the mature animal. J Lipid Res. 2004 Aug;45(8):1375-97.  [Content Brief]

  [3]. Fukui K, et al. Effect of Cholesterol Reduction on Receptor Signaling in Neurons. J Biol Chem. 2015 Sep 14.  [Content Brief]