24-Methylenecholesterol

24-Methylenecholesterol is a C28 sterol that serves as a critical intermediate in the biosynthetic pathways of various sterols across different kingdoms, including plants, fungi, and marine invertebrates. It is characterized by a double bond at the 24(28) position and is a precursor to ergosterol in certain organisms and brassinosteroids in plants (PubChem, CID 92105). In the context of entomology, it is a major sterol found in pollen and is essential for the growth and development of honeybees (Apis mellifera), who cannot synthesize sterols de novo (PubMed, PMID 22533134). While it plays a structural role in cell membranes and acts as a metabolic precursor, it is not a therapeutic target in the traditional sense of a protein receptor or enzyme. Research primarily focuses on its role in nutrition, chemical ecology, and its presence in marine sponges and algae as a chemotaxonomic marker (Wikipedia, 24-Methylenecholesterol).

Other names

Ergosta-5,24(28)-dien-3beta-olChalinasterolOstreasterol24-methylene-cholest-5-en-3-beta-ol