Human: My doctor says that I should take a cholesterol test. What does this test measure? Assistant: 
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in the blood and other body tissues. It’s important for many functions, including building cell membranes, making hormones, and transporting vitamins and other substances throughout the body. High levels of cholesterol can increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. The cholesterol test measures total cholesterol (TC) and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.