The catabolism of cholesterol

摘要

The purification, characterization, and cloning of several key enzymes involved in bile acid biosynthesis has permitted a recent rapid expansion in our understanding of hepatic cholesterol catabolism. The successful cloning and sequencing of rat and human cholesterol 7alpha;-hydroxylase 5prime;-flanking regions this year has provided new insight into the complex transcriptional mechanisms that regulate this gene. In addition, novel enzyme activities that may participate in an alternative pathway of cholesterol degradation and bypass cholesterol 7alpha;-hydroxylase have also been reported.