Ergosterol
Systematic name	Ergosterol
Chemical formula	CxHxNxOx
Molecular mass	396.66 g/mol
Density	x.xxx g/cm3
Melting point	160.0 °C
Boiling point	xx.x °C
CAS number	*
SMILES	xxxx
Chemical infobox

Ergosterol (ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol), a sterol, is the biological precursor to Vitamin D₂. It is turned into viosterol by ultraviolet light, and is then converted into ergocalciferol, which is a form of Vitamin D.

Ergosterol is a component of fungal cell membranes, serving the same function that cholesterol serves in animal cells. The presence of ergosterol in fungal cell membranes coupled with its absence in animal cell membranes makes it a useful target for antifungal drugs. Ergosterol is also used as a fluidiers in the cell membranes of some protists, such as trypanosomes. This explains the use of some antifungals against West African sleeping sickness.

External links

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Alcohols | Steroids | Nutrition

ergosterolo | エルゴステロール