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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
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Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol
Published on: March 25, 2020
Cholesterol as an evolutionary response to living with oxygen
1BABS, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia. aj.brown@unsw.edu.au
Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|April 17, 2010
Summary
Cholesterol, essential for eukaryotes, evolved as an adaptation to oxygen. This evolutionary insight aids medical research into diseases like cataracts, heart disease, and cancer.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Evolutionary Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Cholesterol is a vital molecule in eukaryotes, not just a negative health factor.
- Sterols like cholesterol are hallmarks of eukaryotic life and may have driven multicellularity.
- Cholesterol synthesis is oxygen-intensive, suggesting an evolutionary link to atmospheric oxygen levels.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the evolutionary origins of cholesterol and its relationship with oxygen.
- To demonstrate how an evolutionary perspective on cholesterol can inform medical research.
- To highlight cholesterol's role in human diseases such as cataracts, heart disease, and cancer.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing scientific literature on cholesterol evolution and function.
- Analysis of the biochemical requirements for cholesterol synthesis.
- Examination of epidemiological and clinical data linking cholesterol to specific diseases.
Main Results:
- Cholesterol synthesis is highly oxygen-dependent, supporting its evolution as an oxygen adaptation.
- Evidence suggests cholesterol's role in protecting against oxygen's damaging effects.
- Cholesterol's involvement is implicated in the pathology of cataracts, heart disease, and cancer.
Conclusions:
- Cholesterol's evolution is intrinsically linked to oxygen availability and its hazards.
- Understanding cholesterol's evolutionary role provides a novel framework for medical research.
- This perspective offers new avenues for addressing cholesterol-related health issues.
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