The analysis of fecal neutral sterols has been improved by use of a highly selective gas-liquid chromatography column packed with SP-2401. This chromatographic column allows separation of cholesterol and cholestanol and delta 5-5 alpha plant sterol homologs without employing silver nitrate thin-layer chromatography. Furthermore, there is no need to derivatize neutral sterols before injection. T...

In a previous paper (XLVI of this series), the isolation of cyprinol and other three new bile sterols from the alkaline hydrolyzate of carp bile was reported. Also it was suggested that the chemical constitution of one of these new bile sterols would correspond to 3ƒ¿, 7ƒ¿, 12ƒ¿-trihydroxy-26, 27-epoxycholestane and the natural form of this new bile sterol might be 3ƒ¿,7ƒ¿,12ƒ¿,26,27-pentahydro...

Background Plant sterols are plant derived dietary compounds that are structurally similar to cholesterol. Plant sterols reduce cholesterol absorption, and therefore plant sterol enriched functional foods are designed to lower blood cholesterol level. Reduction of cholesterol absorption increases the level of intraluminal cholesterol, and high intraluminal cholesterol concentration has been ass...

A simple method for the gas-liquid chromatographic quantitation of human fecal bile acids and sterols is described where bile acids are subjected to n-butyl ester derivatization, without prior isolation from the stool, followed by trimethylsilylation of the sterols and bile acids. Under these conditions, bile acid derivatives are well resolved from each other and from the trimethylsilyl ether d...

Sterols, volatiles and lipids were isolated and identified from lipophylic extracts from two tunicates, Styela sp. and Phallusia sp., occurring in the Eastern Mediterranean. Seventeen sterols were identified. The sterol composition of the two organisms appeared to be similar except for the concentrations of 5alpha-stanols. Both tunicates were characterized by the presence of sterols with a (22Z...

Liquid-ordered phases are one of two biochemically active membrane states, which until now were thought to be a unique consequence of the interactions between eukaryotic membrane lipids. The formation of a liquid-ordered phase depends crucially on the ordering properties of sterols. However, it is not known whether this capacity exists in organisms that lack sterols, such as bacteria. We show t...

Fatty acids and sterols are vital components of all eukaryotic cells. Both are used as building blocks for numerous cellular processes such as membrane biosynthesis or hormone production (sterols). Furthermore, these compounds elicit a variety of effects intracellularly as they can act as signalling molecules and regulate gene expression. The metabolism of fatty acids and sterols represents a v...