Steroids

Steroids are structurally complex lipids built around a characteristic multi-ring carbon skeleton, quite different from the long straight chains of triglycerides and phospholipids. They are commonly found both in cell membranes and as animal hormones. The best-known example is cholesterol, which is embedded within animal cell membranes, where it reinforces the membrane's structure and helps regulate its fluidity. Cholesterol-related steroid compounds are also found in an unusual group of cell-wall-deficient bacteria called Mycoplasma …