Serum cholesterol
There are two sources of cholesterol in the body, namely synthesis in vivo and absorption from food, mainly in vivo. The liver is the main organ that synthesizes, stores, and supplies cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol is divided into two parts in the serum, namely, cholesterol ester (ChE) and free cholesterol (Ch) that are bound to fatty acids, and about 2/3 of total cholesterol is bound to fatty acids. Cholesterol is a type of lipid compound that has a variety of important physiological functions. It is an important component of adrenocortical hormones, sex hormones, vitamin D3, bile acids, and cell membranes. They play an important role in human growth and metabolism. However, too high cholesterol concentration in the blood can cause deposition in blood vessels and damage the heart and cerebral blood vessels, form atherosclerosis, and cause cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The liver is the main regulatory organ involved in cholesterol synthesis and decomposition, so cholesterol measurement also reflects the function of liver lipid metabolism.
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