Unesterified cholesterol is a major component of plasma membranes. In the brain of the
adult, it is mostly found in myelin sheaths, where it plays a major architectural role. In the
newborn mouse, little myelination of neurons has occurred, and much of this sterol
comprises a metabolically active pool. In the current study, we have accessed this
metabolically active pool and, using LC/MS, have identified cholesterol precursors and
metabolites. Although desmosterol and 24S-hydroxycholesterol represent the major …