Cholesterol is an important component of cell membranes and other molecules like hormones in the body.
In an ester, a hydrogen atom from the carboxylic acid group is replaced by a hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons are molecules made of hydrogen and carbon atoms. The longer a hydrocarbon chain is, the more "waxy" or solid the substance is.
"Esterified" cholesterol forms long, free-floating fatty acid chains. According to the National Library of Medicine, cholesterol esters have very low solubility in blood and are associated with atherosclerosis, a disease causing thickening of the blood vessels.
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, atherosclerosis can affect any artery in the body. This illness can affect the heart (coronary artery disease), brain (carotid artery disease) or limbs (peripheral arterial disease) depending on which arteries are affected.
The brain contains more cholesterol than any other organ in the human body, and usually contains about a quarter of the free cholesterol in the body.