The term steroid applies to compounds containing hydrogenated cyclopentanophenanthrene carbon skeleton. Most steroids are alcohols, and accordingly are named as sterols. Important examples include cho...The term steroid applies to compounds containing hydrogenated cyclopentanophenanthrene carbon skeleton. Most steroids are alcohols, and accordingly are named as sterols. Important examples include cholesterol, ergosterol, estradiol, and stigmasterol.
Sterols, particularly cholesterol, bile salts, and steroid hormones, and their functions, production, consumption, and associated medical problems are described.
Although they are composed primarily of carbon and hydrogen, lipid molecules may also contain oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous. Lipids serve numerous and diverse purposes in the structure and...Although they are composed primarily of carbon and hydrogen, lipid molecules may also contain oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous. Lipids serve numerous and diverse purposes in the structure and functions of organisms. They can be a source of nutrients, a storage form for carbon, energy-storage molecules, or structural components of membranes and hormones. Lipids comprise a broad class of many chemically distinct compounds, the most common of which are discussed in this section.
