[felka]

Hello,

I am doing a project on sterols and sterolins. I found everything I needed to
know except the reactions that they undergo. The specific sterol that I am interested
in is campesterol. I searched all of the web and visited a few university libraries,
and yet I was unable to find any information regarding the reactions of
campesterol (or sterols in general).
I would appreciate it if someone perhaps knows where such information exists.
Also, on the side, sterolins (which I also have to research) seem to be almost
identical to their respective sterols (except for the presence of a glucoside connected
by an ether bond). If someone knows the main difference between sterols and
sterolins, that would be very helpful as well.

Thank you!

[dandima]

Hi, Felka!
The main difference between sterols and sterolins is hydrophyli. That is a defence mechanism that living things perform to make some substance (usual toxins or of exogene provenience) more hydrophylic with the aim to eliminate them from the organism. Sterols are highly lipophilic; glicozidation make them more polar so they cannot penetrate the cell phospholipidic membrane and at the same time increase their water solubility.
Bye,
Dan