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Sterols
Lipids containing a cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene ring, a hydroxyl group, and a side chain.
Four-ring lipid class including cholesterol, phytosterols, bile acids (open-ring), and steroid hormones. Cholesterol stabilizes membranes and is the precursor of steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids.
How one textbook covers it
Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, 8th ed. (Gropper) — Glossary
Four-ring lipid class including cholesterol, phytosterols, bile acids (open-ring), and steroid hormones. Cholesterol stabilizes membranes and is the precursor of steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids.
Related terms
Isoprenoid, Plasma membrane