El colesterol es escencial en el desarrollo embrionario y el crecimiento celular

Abstract

CHOLESTEROL IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND CELLULAR GROWTH. IN SEVERAL ORGANISMS, LIKE THE INSECTS, CHOLESTEROL IS CONSIDERED A VITAMIN SINCE IT SHOULD BE INGESTED IN THE FOODS. IN DROSOPHILA, CHOLESTEROL IS ESSENTIAL FOR EMBRYOGENESIS AND IN ITS ABSENCE THESE FLIES DO NOT DEVELOP WINGS. THIS IS DUE TO THE INTERACTION BETWEEN CHOLESTEROL AND THE HEDGEHOG PROTEINS. IT IS ALSO NECESSARY THE PRESENCE OF CHOLESTEROL IN THE REGULATION OF SEVERAL ENZYMES, MAINLY THOSE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THEIR SYNTHESIS. FINALLY, IT HAS BEEN OBSERVED THAT SOME METABOLITES OF THE CHOLESTEROL SYNTHESIS MODULATE THE CELL CYCLE DUE TO THEIR INTERACTION WITH THE NUCLEAR DNA AND THIS INTERACTION IS ALSO RELATED WITH CANCERIGENIC PROCESSES.