Steroids and Waxes

Best known sterol

Cholestrerol

What is a sterol?

a steroid with an OH group

Cholesterol function

Gives structure and maintains flexibility cell membrane

What type of sterol do the cell membrane of fungi contain?

ergosterol

Do bacteria contain cholesterol?

NO

without cholesterol, how do bacteria maintain their cell membrane?

By increased or decreasing their saturated fatty acids to accommodate their temperature.

All steroids have the carbon skeleton made up of _____ fused carbon rings attached to various functional groups

4

What cell structure of an animal, plant, and fungal cell has cholesterol embedded in it

Cell membrane

Bacteria do not have cholesterol in their plasma membrane except one group

Mycoplasms, they are cell-wall-deficient

When you expose your skin cells to the sun, the UV rays convert precursor cholesterol molecule into vitamin _____.

D

What is vitamin D converted into (hormone)?

Calcitriol

What is the role of calcitriol?

It helps in the absorption of calcium

What is a wax chemically?

an ester formed between a long-acid alcohol and a saturated fatty acid