Cholesterol is any of a class of certain organic molecules called lipids. It is a sterol (or modified steroid), a type of lipid. Cholesterol is biosynthesized by all animal cells and is an essential structural component of animal cell membranes. When chemically isolated, it is a yellowish crystalline solid.

Cholesterol

Names
IUPAC name Cholest-5-en-3β-ol
Preferred IUPAC name (1R,3aS,3bS,7S,9aR,9bS,11aR)-9a,11a-Dimethyl-1-[(2R)-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-2,3,3a,3b,4,6,7,8,9,9a,9b,10,11,11a-tetradecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-7-ol
Other names Cholesterin, Cholesteryl alcohol
Identifiers
CAS Number	57-88-5 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEBI	CHEBI:16113 Y
ChEMBL	ChEMBL112570 Y
ChemSpider	5775 Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.000.321
IUPHAR/BPS	2718
KEGG	D00040 Y
PubChem CID	5997
UNII	97C5T2UQ7J Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID3022401
InChI InChI=1S/C27H46O/c1-18(2)7-6-8-19(3)23-11-12-24-22-10-9-20-17-21(28)13-15-26(20,4)25(22)14-16-27(23,24)5/h9,18-19,21-25,28H,6-8,10-17H2,1-5H3/t19-,21+,22+,23-,24+,25+,26+,27-/m1/s1 Y Key: HVYWMOMLDIMFJA-DPAQBDIFSA-N Y InChI=1/C27H46O/c1-18(2)7-6-8-19(3)23-11-12-24-22-10-9-20-17-21(28)13-15-26(20,4)25(22)14-16-27(23,24)5/h9,18-19,21-25,28H,6-8,10-17H2,1-5H3/t19-,21+,22+,23-,24+,25+,26+,27-/m1/s1 Key: HVYWMOMLDIMFJA-DPAQBDIFBB
SMILES C[C@H](CCCC(C)C)[C@H]1CC[C@@H]2[C@@]1(CC[C@H]3[C@H]2CC=C4[C@@]3(CC[C@@H](C4)O)C)C
Properties
Chemical formula	C27H46O
Molar mass	386.65 g/mol
Appearance	white crystalline powder
Density	1.052 g/cm3
Melting point	148 to 150 °C (298 to 302 °F; 421 to 423 K)
Boiling point	360 °C (680 °F; 633 K) (decomposes)
Solubility in water	0.095 mg/L (30 °C)
Solubility	soluble in acetone, benzene, chloroform, ethanol, ether, hexane, isopropyl myristate, methanol
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	-284.2·10−6 cm3/mol
Hazards
Flash point	209.3 ±12.4 °C
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Y verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

Cholesterol also serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, bile acid and vitamin D. Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by all animals. In vertebrates, hepatic cells typically produce the greatest amounts. It is absent among prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea), although there are some exceptions, such as Mycoplasma, which require cholesterol for growth.

François Poulletier de la Salle first identified cholesterol in solid form in gallstones in 1769. However, it was not until 1815 that chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul named the compound "cholesterine".