Steroids comprise a group of organic compounds containing four fused rings, including three six-membered rings and one five-membered ring. Cholesterol is a lipid found in animal cell membranes that is essential for membrane structure and fluidity. It has a four-ring structure with an eight-carbon side chain and a hydroxyl group. Woodward synthesized cholesterol through a multi-step process involving reactions such as Diels-Alder, Claisen condensation, and reductions to carefully construct the four-ring structure and install functional groups in the correct positions and orientations.