Leading international scientists bring current and developing topics in sterol research together in Biochemistry and Function of Sterols. The authors are experts in each major area of sterol research-medicine, biochemistry, chemistry, and agriculture. Each chapter features the current state of research as well as new and developing research topics. Throughout the volume the focus is on the major and expanding areas of sterol biochemistry and function of sterols in all classes or organisms. The broad scope of this work embraces many disciplines and will be of interest to a variety of researchers, students, and lay people. Professors will find Biochemistry and Function of Sterols an excellent choice as a textbook for courses on steroid, lipid, or plant biochemistry.Inhibitors of 2,3-Oxidosqualene Cyclase as Tools for Studying the Mechanism and Function of the Enzyme, L. Cattel and M. Ceruti Aromatase Inhibitors, J. O'Neal Johnston Variability of Metabolism and Function of Sterols in Insects, J.A. Svoboda Oxysterols and Apoptosis: Evidence for Gene Regulation Outside the Cholesterol Pathway, E.B. Thompson and S. Ayala-Torres Tracing Steroid Synthesis in Plants, H.W. Groeneveld Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Sterol Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, N.D. Lees, M. Bard, and D.R. Kirsch 19-Noraldosterone, Y. Takeda Enzymology of Phytosterol Transformations, W.D. Nes and M. Venkatramesh Isoprenoid Biosynthesis in Plants: Carbon Partitioning Within the Cytoplasmic Pathway, J.D. Newman and J. Chappell Mevalonate Biosynthesis in Plants, T.J. Bach, A. Boronat, N. Campos, A. Ferrer, and K.-U. Vollack Lanosterol Analogs: Dual-Action Inhibitors of Cholesterol Biosynthesis, L.L. Frye and D.A. Leonard Biochemistry and Function of Nematode Steroids, D.J. Chitwood Occurrence, Biosynthesis, and Putative Role of Ecdysteroids in Plants, J.H. Adler and R.J. Grebenok Regulation of 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylgll3+