CHOLESTEROL ESTERASE Meaning and
Definition
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Cholesterol esterase is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the metabolism of cholesterol in the body. It belongs to the class of hydrolases, specifically esterases, which catalyze the hydrolysis of ester bonds.
Cholesterol esterase acts on cholesterol esters, which are formed when cholesterol molecules react with fatty acids. These esters are primarily found in lipid droplets and cell membranes. Cholesterol esterase cleaves the ester bond, resulting in the release of cholesterol and fatty acids.
In the human body, cholesterol esterase is primarily produced by the pancreas and is involved in the digestion and absorption of dietary cholesterol. It is secreted into the small intestine, where it breaks down dietary cholesterol esters into free cholesterol and fatty acids, facilitating their absorption into the bloodstream.
Furthermore, cholesterol esterase also plays a role in the reverse cholesterol transport pathway, which is the process by which excess cholesterol is transported out of tissues and back to the liver for excretion. It acts on cholesterol esters stored in tissues and converts them back into free cholesterol, which can then be transported back to the liver via lipoproteins for metabolism and elimination.
In a laboratory setting, cholesterol esterase is often utilized to measure and analyze cholesterol levels, as its enzyme activity can be quantified to assess the amount of cholesterol in a sample. This can be particularly useful in diagnosing certain medical conditions such as hypercholesterolemia or when monitoring cholesterol-lowering treatments.
Common Misspellings for CHOLESTEROL ESTERASE
- xholesterol esterase
- vholesterol esterase
- fholesterol esterase
- dholesterol esterase
- cgolesterol esterase
- cbolesterol esterase
- cnolesterol esterase
- cjolesterol esterase
- cuolesterol esterase
- cyolesterol esterase
- chilesterol esterase
- chklesterol esterase
- chllesterol esterase
- chplesterol esterase
- ch0lesterol esterase
- ch9lesterol esterase
- chokesterol esterase
- chopesterol esterase
- chooesterol esterase
- cholwsterol esterase
Etymology of CHOLESTEROL ESTERASE
The word "cholesterol" derives from the Greek words "chole" meaning "bile" and "stereos" meaning "solid" or "stiff". It was originally coined in the 18th century by French chemist François Poulletier de la Salle.
The term "esterase" comes from the root word "ester" which refers to a chemical compound formed by the condensation of an alcohol and an acid. "Esterase" is a suffix added to enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of esters.
So, "cholesterol esterase" is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis (breakdown) of cholesterol esters into their respective components, cholesterol and fatty acids.
Similar spelling words for CHOLESTEROL ESTERASE
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