News tagged with cholesterol

UW plant breeders develop an even heart-healthier oat

University of Wisconsin-Madison plant breeders have developed a new oat variety that's significantly higher in the compound that makes this grain so cardio-friendly.

Biology / Biotechnology

created May 16, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Study suggests why some animals live longer

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists at the University of Liverpool have developed a new method to detect proteins associated with longevity, which helps further our understanding into why some animals live longer ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Mar 29, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (4) | comments 0

Possible new route to fight dengue virus pointed

Researchers have identified enzymes and biochemical compounds called lipids that are targeted and modified by the dengue virus during infection, suggesting a potential new approach to control the aggressive ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Mar 22, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Researchers develop paper-thin device to test cholesterol levels

(PhysOrg.com) -- Paper-thin sensors that use the latest technology in miniaturization and printing could revolutionize the way point of care testing is carried out for cholesterol and lead to further applications ...

Chemistry / Analytical Chemistry

created Feb 29, 2012 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 2

Plastic nanoparticles affect behavior and fat metabolism in fish

Nanoparticles have many useful applications, but also raise some potential health and ecological concerns.

Nanotechnology / Bio & Medicine

created Feb 22, 2012 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Local cops on front lines against product counterfeiting

Contrary to common perception, state and local police are often on the front lines against product counterfeiting, yet it's unclear how prepared they are to deal with the growing crime, according to a new report from two ...

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

created Feb 22, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Researchers find new evidence on how cholesterol gets moved from HDLs to LDLs

Researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found new evidence to explain how cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mediates the transfer of cholesterol from "good" high ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Feb 21, 2012 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (8) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Researchers identify structure of apolipoprotein

Using a sophisticated technique of x-ray crystallography, researchers Xiaohu Mei, PhD, and David Atkinson, PhD, from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have for the first time obtained an "image" of the structure ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Nov 04, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

X-rays help advance the battle against heart disease

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists from Imperial College London and Diamond Light Source have revealed the structure of a cholesterol-lowering-drug target. Published in the journal Nature, this finding could lead ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Oct 06, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

New food labels dished up to keep Europe healthy

A groundbreaking deal on compulsory new food labels Wednesday is set to give Europeans clear information on the nutritional and energy content of products, as well as country of origin.

Medicine & Health / Health

created Jul 06, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Diabetes becomes a disease of the young

Some people say aiming to look sleek in your swimsuit or wedding duds is the biggest motivator for losing weight. But Mike Durbin's incentive for dropping pounds beats all.

Medicine & Health / Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

created Jun 27, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Cholesterol boosts antibiotic resistance in H. pylori

(PhysOrg.com) -- New research suggests that cholesterol boosts resistance in Helicobacter pylori both to many antibiotics and to the endogenous antimicrobial peptide, LL-37. A complete understanding of the pathway of cholesterol ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Jun 17, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

US Supreme Court allows cholesterol drug suit

The US Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a class-action suit by alleged victims of the anti-cholesterol drug Baycol, which was taken off the market in 2001 by German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer.

Medicine & Health / Medications

created Jun 16, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Blueberry's effects on cholesterol examined in lab animal study

Laboratory hamsters that were fed rations spiked with blueberry peels and other blueberry-juice-processing leftovers had better cholesterol health than hamsters whose rations weren't enhanced with blueberries. That's according ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created May 31, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Drugmakers brace for generic versions of biotech blockbusters

In 2001, Abbott Laboratories spent nearly $7 billion on the biggest acquisition in the company's 123-year history, primarily to access one drug, Humira.

Medicine & Health / Medications

created May 27, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a lipidic, waxy steroid found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by animals, but small quantities are synthesized in other eukaryotes, such as plants and fungi. It is almost completely absent among prokaryotes, which include bacteria. Cholesterol is classified as a sterol.

Since cholesterol is essential for life, it is primarily synthesized de novo within the body. However excessive levels of cholesterol in blood circulation are strongly associated with progression of atherosclerosis. For an adult, typical total body cholesterol synthesis is about 1 gram per day (less if dietary intake is high) and total body cholesterol content is about 35 g. Average dietary intake in western societies is 0.2 - 0.3 grams. Cholesterol is excreted by the liver via the bile into the digestive tract. Typically about 50% of the excreted cholesterol is reabsorbed by the small bowel back into the blood stream.

The name cholesterol originates from the Greek chole- (bile) and stereos (solid), and the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol, as François Poulletier de la Salle first identified cholesterol in solid form in gallstones, in 1769. However, it was only in 1815 that chemist Eugène Chevreul named the compound "cholesterine".

For more information about Cholesterol, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.