Compartmentation of cholesterol within the cell

Abstract

Mammalian cells tightly regulate their cholesterol content and the intracellular disposition of cholesterol. Most cellular free cholesterol resides in the plasma membrane, where it exists in lateral domains. Mechanisms governing cellular cholesterol levels and compartmentation are still largely unknown. In this review, we highlight recent studies documenting the compartmentation of cholesterol, especially those that have relevance to the regulation of cholesterol content.