Cholesterol and fatty acids combine during re-esterification to form what?

Re-esterification is a biochemical process that involves the combination of a fatty acid with another molecule, often resulting in the formation of ester bonds. In the context of cholesterol, when fatty acids undergo re-esterification with cholesterol, they form cholesterol esters. This process occurs in various tissues and is important for lipid metabolism.

Cholesterol esters are more hydrophobic than free cholesterol and are stored in lipid droplets within cells. This process serves not only to regulate cholesterol levels in the body but also influences the transport of lipids through the bloodstream.

The other choices represent different aspects of lipid biochemistry. Triglycerides consist of three fatty acids esterified to a glycerol backbone, making them distinct from cholesterol esters. Free fatty acids are the unbound forms of fatty acids, not linked to other molecules. Phospholipids are a class of lipids that consist of two fatty acids and a phosphate group linked to glycerol and are essential components of cell membranes, but they do not result from the re-esterification of cholesterol.

Thus, the formation of cholesterol esters through re-esterification accurately reflects the specific biochemical reaction involving cholesterol and fatty acids.