Some important sterols and their sources

common name systematic name occurrence

cholesterol 5-cholesten-3 b2;-ol principal sterol of most animals and all vertebrate tissues

coprostanol 5 b2;-cholestan-3 b2;-ol feces of vertebrates

cholestanol 5 b1;-cholestan-3 b2;-ol minor vertebrate sterol: guinea pig and rabbit adrenal

lathosterol 5 b1;-cholest-7-en-3 b2;-ol vertebrate skin, intestine

7-dehydrocholesterol 5,7-cholestadien-3 b2;-ol mammalian skin, intestine

desmosterol 5,24-cholestadien-3 b2;-ol chick embryo, barnacle (Balanus glandula)

zymosterol 5 b1;-cholesta-8,24-dien-3 b2;-ol minor sterol of yeasts

ergosterol 5,7,22-ergostatrien-3 b2;-ol principal sterol of yeasts, ergot (Claviceps purpurea), and other fungi

stigmasterol 5,22-stigmastadien-3 b2;-ol most green plants, soybeans

sitosterol 5-stigmasten-3 b2;-ol most green plants, wheat germ

fucosterol 5,24(28)-stigmastadien-3 b2;-ol principal sterol of marine brown algae (Fucus species)

lanosterol 8,24-lanostadien-3 b2;-ol skin, sheep wool, fat, yeasts

lophenol 4 b1;-methyl-5 b1;-cholest-7-en-3 b2;-ol skin, intestine, feces, cactus (Lophocereus schotti)

cycloartenol 9,19-cyclo-24-lanosten-3 b2;-ol generally minor sterol of green plants (Artocarpus species)