Describe what is Cholesterol: The Role Plays in the Body

Cholesterol
Name
Institution
Cholesterol
Cholesterol refers to a waxy substance that is found in the blood plasma, as well as all animal tissues. Chemically, cholesterol denotes an organic molecule or compound that is classified in the steroid family. The molecular formula of cholesterol is C27H46O. In the pure state, it is perceived as an odorless and tasteless crystalline material (Silva, 2013). This is a substance that comes from two sources, and that is from the body and the food humans consume. The liver makes cholesterol that the body requires and circulates via the blood while food sources such as meat and full-fat dairy products contain cholesterol.
Cholesterol plays a significant role in ensuring that vital biochemical processes in the body are preserved. In this way, it is responsible for transporting lipid among other crucial fats around the body and in so doing ensures the defense and immunity mechanisms of the body (Silva, 2013). It plays an essential part in the creation and conservation of the human cell membrane by depositing phospholipids on the both sides of these cell membranes. In this way, it ensures the rigidity, stability, and the preservation of the cell structure. Cholesterol also hinders the crystallization of the fatty acids by enabling ideal temperature suitable for maintaining the fluidity of the membranes while also avoiding the buildup of the phospholipids within the cell membrane (Silva, 2013). Cholesterol also allows the right synthesis of the neurotransmitters that allow the transmission of nerve impulses using the neurons. It produces the bile acids that play a huge role in promoting digestion, as well as vitamin absorption. Further, cholesterol plays a role in ensuring the secretion of essential enzymes, as well as hormones that include aldosterone, cortisone, cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and also Ubiquinone. Finally, it is a precursor of various other crucial molecul...