[[ගොනුව:Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Microscopic appearance of cholesterol crystals in water. Photo taken under [[polarized light]].]]
'''කොලෙස්ටරෝල්(Cholesterol)''' isයනු aලිපිඩමය lipidic,ඇලෙනසුලු waxyඇල්කොහොල් alcoholවිශේෂයකි.මෙය foundසතුන් inගේ theපටකය [[cellහා membrane]]sරුධිර andප්ලාස්මාවේ transported in the [[blood plasma]] of all [[animal]]sඅඩංගුය. It is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes where it is required to establish proper [[membrane permeability]] and [[membrane fluidity|fluidity]]. Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by animals, but small quantities are synthesized in other [[eukaryote]]s, such as [[plant]]s and [[fungus|fungi]]. It is almost completely absent among [[prokaryote]]s, which include bacteria.<ref name="pmid14660793">{{cite journal | author = Pearson A, Budin M, Brocks JJ | title = Phylogenetic and biochemical evidence for sterol synthesis in the bacterium Gemmata obscuriglobus | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. | volume = 100 | issue = 26 | pages = 15352–7 | year = 2003 | month = December | pmid = 14660793 | pmc = 307571 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.2536559100 | url = | issn = }}</ref> Cholesterol is classified as a [[sterol]] (a contraction of [[steroid|'''ster'''oid]] and [[alcohol|alcoh'''ol''']]).
Although cholesterol is essential for life, high levels in circulation are associated with [[atherosclerosis]]. Cholesterol is synthesized in virtually all cells, and significant amounts of it can be absorbed from the diet.
