Cholestane
Encyclopedia
Cholestane is a saturated
Saturation (chemistry)
In chemistry, saturation has six different meanings, all based on reaching a maximum capacity...

 27-carbon steroid
Steroid
A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...

 precursor which serves as the basis for many organic molecules.

Derivatives of cholestane

Derivatives are classified in two families:
  • Sterols (with an alcohol
    Alcohol
    In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....

     group)
  • Cholestenes
    Cholestenes
    Cholestenes are derivatives of cholestanes which have a double bond. One of the most significant cholestenes is cholecalciferol.If there are two double bonds, the molecule is known as a "cholestadiene". Examples include fusidic acid, lanosterol, and stigmasterol.-External links:* *...

     (with a double bond
    Double bond
    A double bond in chemistry is a chemical bond between two chemical elements involving four bonding electrons instead of the usual two. The most common double bond, that between two carbon atoms, can be found in alkenes. Many types of double bonds between two different elements exist, for example in...

    )


Some steroids, such as cholesterol
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...

, are both a sterol
Sterol
Sterols, also known as steroid alcohols, are a subgroup of the steroids and an important class of organic molecules. They occur naturally in plants, animals, and fungi, with the most familiar type of animal sterol being cholesterol...

 and a cholestene.
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