Cholesterol is a waxy steroid metabolite found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes, where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. In addition, cholesterol is an important component for the manufacture of bile acids, steroid hormones, and several fat-soluble vitamins. 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. Source: [[wikipedia:Cholesterol|Wikipedia]] This pathway was inferred from Homo sapiens pathway [http://www.wikipathways.org/index.php?title=Pathway:WP197&oldid=21093 WP197(r21093)] with a 88% conversion rate. cb0 af4 c95 e3e f61 b27 bb3 NAD(P) dependent steroid dehydrogenase-like

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