As an essential lipid, cholesterol is of great value in keeping cell homeostasis, being the precursor of bile acid and steroid hormones, and stabilizing membrane lipid rafts. As a kind of cholesterol metabolite produced by enzymatic or radical process, oxysterols have drawn much attention in the last decades. Among which, the role of 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism, antivirus process, and inflammatory response has been largely disclosed. This review is aimed at revealing these functions and underlying mechanisms of 25-HC.

中文翻译：

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25-羟基胆固醇在脂质代谢，抗病毒过程，炎症反应和细胞存活中的多重作用

胆固醇作为必需脂质，在保持细胞稳态（胆汁酸和类固醇激素的前体）以及稳定膜脂质筏方面具有重要价值。氧固醇作为一种通过酶促或自由基过程产生的胆固醇代谢产物，在过去的几十年中备受关注。其中，已经大量公开了25-羟基胆固醇（25-HC）在胆固醇和胆汁酸代谢，抗病毒过程和炎症反应中的作用。这篇综述旨在揭示25-HC的这些功能和潜在机制。