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Cholesterol as synthetic building blocks for artificial lipids with characteristic physical, chemical and biological properties
Author(s) -
Urata Kouichi,
Takaishi Naotake
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
european journal of lipid science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.614
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1438-9312
pISSN - 1438-7697
DOI - 10.1002/1438-9312(200101)103:1<29::aid-ejlt29>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - cholesterol , membrane , chemistry , steroid , derivatization , organic chemistry , cosmetics , biocatalysis , chemical synthesis , artificial cell , biochemistry , reaction mechanism , high performance liquid chromatography , hormone , catalysis , in vitro
Cholesterol is one of the most widely distributed natural materials and has a unique chemical structure such as a steroid skeleton. Many types of chemical transformations of cholesterol functional groups have been developed. There is an interest in the derivatization of cholesterol and to introduce alkyl branched fatty acids into the molecule. These have found applications in the formulation of cosmetics and toiletries over the past few decades. An extraordinary interesting case is related to cholesteryl esters and their use in gene therapy delivery systems. These results can be attributed to their potential for forming cell‐mimic membranes, because cholesterol is the most important building block of living cell membranes. In terms of organic synthesis, cholesterol is a strategically useful material. A typical case is remote functionalization by chemical reactions or by biocatalysis. In the future, cholesterol should be considered as a key compound, a building block for the construction of artificial lipid‐like membranes by self‐assembly. Also, as cholesterol is one of the members of the fat and oil family, fat and oil chemists should study and develop cholesterol chemistry even further.