Cholesterol is essential for life - it's a required for the regulation of membrane fluidity. Cholesterol also serves as a precursor for many other biochemical pathways. Cholesterol is synthesized throughout the body but mainly in liver, intestines, adrenal glands and reproductive organs. Synthesis starts with the combination of Acetyl-CoA and Acetoacetyl-CoA. An important intemediary in the synthesis of cholesterol is mevalonate. Synthesis of cholesterol is regulated by a homeostatic mechanism. bf4 e11 cholesterol metabolic pathway PW:0001304 Pathway Ontology arterial occlusive disease pathway PW:0000517 Pathway Ontology 12677213 PubMed Improvement of Endothelial Function by HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors. Drug News Perspect 2002 Wassmann S Nickenig G 9405354 PubMed Induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway regulates the farnesylation of RAS in embryonic chick heart cells: a new role for ras in regulating the expression of muscarinic receptors and G proteins. EMBO J 1997 Gadbut AP Wu L Tang D Papageorge A Watson JA Galper JB