ABSTRACT
Cholesterol has multiple functions in humans and animals. It is a component of the phospholipid bilayer that is essential to provide greater stability and modulate uidity of the cell membrane. Cholesterol is also used as the substrate for bile acids (Russell, 2003) and hormones biosynthesis (Payne and Hales, 2004), and can be converted to oxysterols to regulate orphan nuclear receptors including LXRα (Janowski et al., 1996). Meanwhile, Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is covalently linked to cholesterol during its maturation. The cholesterol modication is necessary for normal Shh signaling (Porter et al., 1996).
