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-as of [8 APRIL 2024]–
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-a ‘type’ of ‘organic compound’ that contains ‘4 rings’ arranged in a ‘specific configuration’–
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(examples include…)
*the dietary lipid ‘cholesterol’*
*the sex hormones ‘estradiol’ + ‘testosterone’*
*the anti-inflammatory drug ‘dexamethasone’*
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(‘steroids’ have 2 principal biological functions…)
*certain ‘steroids’ (such as ‘cholesterol’) are important components of ‘cell membranes’ which alter ‘membrane fluidity’)
*other ‘steroids’ are ‘signaling molecules’ which activate ‘steroid hormone receptors’*
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(the ‘steroid core structure’ is composed of ’17 carbon atoms’, bonded in 4 “fused” rings…)
&three six-member cyclohexane rings (rings A, B and C in the first illustration) and one five-member cyclopentane ring (the D ring).
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(‘steroids’ vary by the ‘functional groups’ attached to this ‘4-ring core’ + by the ‘oxidation state’ of the ‘rings’)
(‘sterols’ are forms of ‘steroids’ with a ‘hydroxyl group’ at ‘position 3’ + a ‘skeleton’ derived from ‘cholestane’)
(they can also vary more markedly by changes to the ‘ring structure’ (for example, ‘ring scissions’ which produce ‘secosteroids’ such as ‘vitamin D3‘)
(hundreds of ‘steroids’ are found in ‘plants’ / ‘animals’ / ‘fungi’)
(all steroids are manufactured in cells from the sterols ‘lanosterol’ (in ‘animals’ + ‘fungi’) or ‘cyclo-artenol’ (in ‘plants’))
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(‘lanosterol’ + ‘cyclo-artenol’ are derived from the ‘cyclization’ of the ‘triterpene squalene’)
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*👨🔬🕵️♀️🙇♀️*SKETCHES*🙇♂️👩🔬🕵️♂️*
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👈👈👈 ☜ *-ORGANIC COMPOUNDS-*☞ 👉👉👉
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💕💝💖💓🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤❤️💚💛🧡❣️💞💔💘❣️🧡💛💚❤️🖤💜🖤💙🖤💙🖤💗💖💝💘
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*🌈✨ *TABLE OF CONTENTS* ✨🌷*
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🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥*we won the war* 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥