生体膜とコレステロールおよびスタチン

抄録

Cholesterol is a major component of cell membrane and plays a key role in maintaining membrane physiological functions and physicochemical properties. Cholesterol is absorbed by gastrointestinal tract and is synthesized by liver. 3–Hydroxy–3–methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG–CoA) reductase is a rate–limiting enzyme of mevalonate pathway involving cholesterol biosynthesis. So–called statin, HMG–CoA reductase inhibitor, is available in this country, and is widely applied to the patients with dyslipidemia. In this article, I would like to describe the episode of the discovery of statin in relation to the interaction between the cholesterol content and physiological functions of cell membrane in health and disease.