The organelle membranes inside the cell, as well as the cell's membranes, are significant structures

made of cholesterol. The proper ratio of phospholipids, fatty acids, and cholesterol in cell membranes
permits them to be elastic while maintaining their shape (the body comprises billions of cells). "The
body uses cholesterol as a building block for healing. This is the reason the "scar" tissue that forms to
heal the "wound" in the harmed portions of the arteries (as in atherosclerosis) contains cholesterol in
addition to a number of other components (such as calcium and collagen). The brain tissue contains a lot
of cholesterol, which is necessary for healthy brain function.

As part of the immune system's protective reaction to a persistent infection, cholesterol frequently rises.
For healthy brain development in infants, they require a lot of cholesterol, which is often present in high
concentrations in human breast milk. Adrenal and gonadal hormones are generated from cholesterol
(infant formulae typically include little to no cholesterol due to the widespread lack of information about
cholesterol). These hormones control energy production, regulate reproduction, and deal with stress.
Cholesterol is essential for healthy nerve activity, which explains why serum cholesterol typically
increases with severe or sustained stress. The myelin membrane is made up of fat, and about one-fourth
of that fat contains cholesterol.

The cholesterol in skin is converted to vitamin D. Bile salts, produced by the liver from cholesterol, are
necessary for the digestion and emulsification of fats. The skin, which is essential for the health and
strength of the skin, requires a lot of cholesterol. Although lowering blood cholesterol does appear to
reduce mortality from heart disease, people who attained the lowest cholesterol levels 160 units or less
had unexpectedly greater risks of death from other causes, such as liver cancer, stroke, lung illness, and
alcoholism.