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Related Concept Videos

What are Lipids?01:31

What are Lipids?

Lipids function as structural components of cellular membranes, in addition to acting as energy reservoirs and signaling molecules. They are thus crucial to all living organisms.  The three biologically important classes of lipids are triglycerides, phospholipids, and steroids.
Non-Polar and Hydrophobic Characteristics of Lipids
Lipids are a structurally and functionally diverse group of hydrocarbons—compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms. The carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds...
What are Lipids?01:38

What are Lipids?

Overview
Lipid-derived Compounds in the Human Body01:31

Lipid-derived Compounds in the Human Body

Fats and lipids are crucial components in the human body. Some lipid-derived compounds, such as fat-soluble vitamins, eicosanoids, lipoproteins, and glycolipids, also play unique roles to support various  biological processes .
Fat-soluble Vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, are required in minimal quantities, but their deficiencies can lead to severely abnormal physiological conditions. For example, vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness, dry skin, delayed...
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation01:29

Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation

Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
Biosynthesis of Lipids01:29

Biosynthesis of Lipids

Microbial membranes exhibit remarkable diversity in lipid composition, reflecting evolutionary adaptations to various environmental conditions. The three domains of life—Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya—synthesize membrane lipids through distinct biosynthetic pathways, leading to fundamental structural differences that impact membrane stability, function, and adaptability.Fatty Acid-Based Lipids in Bacteria and EukaryaBacteria and eukaryotes share a common fatty acid biosynthesis pathway, which...
Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism01:28

Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism

Lipids also are sources of energy that power cellular processes. Like carbohydrates, lipids are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but these atoms are arranged differently. Most lipids are nonpolar and hydrophobic. Major types include fats and oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Shotgun Lipidomics of Rodent Tissues
11:46

Shotgun Lipidomics of Rodent Tissues

Published on: November 18, 2022

Sterols and oxysterols in immune cell function.

Nathanael J Spann1, Christopher K Glass

  • 1Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.

Nature Immunology
|August 21, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cholesterol biosynthesis intermediates and oxysterols regulate immune cell functions. These sterols impact immune cell differentiation, inflammation, and antiviral activity, opening new research avenues.

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Methods to Study Lipid Alterations in Neutrophils and the Subsequent Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps
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Methods to Study Lipid Alterations in Neutrophils and the Subsequent Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps
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Methods to Study Lipid Alterations in Neutrophils and the Subsequent Formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps

Published on: March 29, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cholesterol biosynthesis intermediates and oxysterols are key regulators of cellular processes.
  • Emerging research highlights their significant roles in innate and adaptive immune system functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the biological functions of sterol intermediates and oxysterols in the immune system.
  • To explore their mechanisms of action via transcription factors and receptors.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on sterol intermediates and oxysterols in immunity.
  • Analysis of their roles in immune cell differentiation, function, and response.

Main Results:

  • Sterols regulate immune cell differentiation, population expansion, and responses to inflammation.
  • They influence macrophage phagocytosis, antiviral activities, and immune cell migration.
  • Key regulatory pathways involve liver X receptors (LXRs), sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs), and EBI2.

Conclusions:

  • Bioactive sterols and oxysterols play multifaceted roles in immune system regulation.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate endogenous production and precise mechanisms of action within the immune system.