[Studies in the field of chemistry, biochemistry and photobiochemistry of sterols]

Abstract

The article deals with a review of the results of studies performed at the Department of photobiochemistry of the A. V. Palladin Institute of Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR. It is emphasized that beginning from the first product of squalene cyclization--lanosterol, all the sterols participating in cholesterol biosynthesis, besides playing the parts of its precursors, are ancestors of their own, derivatives which realize specific function in the organism. On the example of 7-dehydrocholesterol it is shown that it transforms in the animal organism into a series of biologically active products of oxidative transformation and photoisomerization. Much attention was also given to the studies in sterol composition of nonsaponifiable fraction of organs and tissues and their subcellular structures in norm and with pathology. Derivatives of cholesterol certain precursors possessing highly interesting biological properties are found in the nonsaponifiable fractions of some organs and tissues.