Desmosterol Analysis Service

When you only measure total cholesterol, you see the outcome but not the pathway. Desmosterol is a late cholesterol biosynthesis intermediate that often shifts earlier and more specifically than bulk cholesterol, making it a sensitive marker for sterol pathway modulation.

Creative Proteomics offers a targeted desmosterol analysis service based on LC–MS/MS sterol panels to help you:

  • Quantify desmosterol in plasma, tissues, cells, and culture systems with pathway-aware sterol profiles.
  • Evaluate how inhibitors, genetic models, or stress conditions affect late cholesterol biosynthesis.
  • Distinguish true pathway modulation from non-specific lipid toxicity or matrix effects.
  • Integrate desmosterol readouts into broader lipidomics or multi-omics workflows with compatible data formats.
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What Is Desmosterol and Why Analyze It?

Desmosterol is a late-stage sterol intermediate formed downstream of lanosterol and upstream of cholesterol. It differs from cholesterol by a single double bond, yet this subtle change affects membrane properties and regulatory feedback in sterol metabolism.

When desmosterol levels change, they often indicate altered cholesterol synthesis, enzyme inhibition, or compensatory shifts in the mevalonate pathway. Quantifying desmosterol alongside related sterols lets you:

For many projects, desmosterol is a more sensitive readout of pathway activity than bulk cholesterol alone.

Desmosterol Analysis Solutions at Creative Proteomics

Quantitative Desmosterol Measurement

Targeted LC–MS/MS quantification of desmosterol in plasma, serum, tissues, cells, and culture media.

Desmosterol:Cholesterol Ratio Analysis

Parallel measurement of desmosterol and cholesterol to calculate pathway-relevant ratios for biosynthesis assessment.

Late Cholesterol Biosynthesis Intermediate Panel

Combined profiling of desmosterol with lanosterol, zymosterol, lathosterol, and related sterols for pathway mapping.

Desmosterol and Oxysterol Co-Profiling

Optional inclusion of selected oxysterols to interpret desmosterol changes together with oxidative and regulatory sterols.

Integrated Desmosterol Lipidomics Modules

Embedding desmosterol readouts into broader targeted or untargeted lipidomics projects for system-level interpretation.

Custom Desmosterol Pathway Panels

Project-specific panel design focused on cholesterol biosynthesis, mevalonate branches, or sterol remodeling under genetic or pharmacological perturbation.

Analytes Covered in Our Desmosterol Panel

Our desmosterol assay is usually configured as a focused sterol intermediate panel. The analytes below are representative examples that are commonly included in projects. The final list can be adjusted to match your specific research needs.

Sterol categoryRepresentative analytes*
Key pathway intermediateDesmosterol
Cholesterol endpointCholesterol
Early sterol precursorsLanosterol, zymosterol, lathosterol
Side-chain–modified sterols24-dehydrocholesterol, 7-dehydrocholesterol
Optional oxysterols24-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol
Other sterols (on request)Selected pathway-related sterols discussed at setup

*These are example analytes from a typical sterol intermediate panel. A full, project-specific analyte list will be confirmed during method setup and included in your study documentation.

Why Choose Our Desmosterol Assay?

  • Pathway-focused sterol panel
    Desmosterol is quantified together with cholesterol and key intermediates, so you see where the pathway is changing instead of just a single end-point value.
  • Quantitative criteria you can audit
    Methods are developed to meet typical metabolomics standards, with calibration curves targeting R² ≥ 0.995 and QC samples controlled within commonly accepted CV ranges for qualified analytes.
  • Designed to separate similar sterols
    Optimized LC gradients and MRM or high-resolution detection help resolve structurally similar sterols, reducing mis-assignment in complex matrices such as brain or liver.
  • Consistent methods across matrices
    A unified sterol workflow is adapted for plasma, tissues, cells, plant material, or culture media, enabling cross-matrix comparison within one coherent dataset.
  • Transparent QC and ratio reporting
    You receive sterol concentrations, key ratios (for example desmosterol:cholesterol), and QC summaries, making it easier to justify conclusions in internal reports or publications.

Step-by-Step Workflow for Desmosterol Quantification by LC–MS/MS

Workflow for Desmosterol Analysis

Analytical Methods and Core Instruments for Desmosterol Analysis

UHPLC–triple quadrupole LC–MS/MS (primary method)

  • UHPLC systems such as Agilent 1290 Infinity II for high-efficiency reversed-phase separation.
  • Triple quadrupole instruments (for example Agilent 6495C) operated in MRM mode for sensitive, selective desmosterol and sterol quantification.
  • Typical configuration: C18 column (≈2.1 × 100 mm, sub-2 μm), methanol/isopropanol-based gradient with volatile buffers, positive-ion ESI.

High-resolution LC–MS (optional)

  • Orbitrap-based platforms such as Q Exactive HF-X can be used when exact mass confirmation or separation of closely related sterols is critical.
  • Full-scan plus targeted MS/MS acquisition allows you to confirm identities and explore additional sterols in the same run.

GC–MS or GC–MS/MS (optional)

For some projects, sterols can be derivatized and analyzed on GC systems (e.g., Agilent 7890 with a tandem MS detector) to exploit robust retention behavior and characteristic fragmentation.

AspectTypical setup / benefit
SelectivityOptimized RP gradient and MRM or HRMS MS/MS to separate closely related sterols.
QuantitationMulti-point calibration curves targeting R² ≥ 0.995 for validated analytes.
Internal standardsStable isotope–labeled or structurally similar sterols for signal correction.
SensitivityPractical detection from sub-ng/mL to low-ng/mL in common research matrices.
QC and reproducibilityEmbedded QC samples and predefined acceptance limits to monitor batch quality.
Agilent 6495C Triple Quadrupole

Agilent 6495C Triple Quadrupole (Figure from Agilent)

Agilent 1260 Infinity II HPLC

Agilent 1260 Infinity II HPLC (Fig from Agilent)

Thermo Q Exactive HF-X MS

Q Exactive HF-X MS

7890B Gas Chromatograph + 5977 Single Quadrupole

Agilent 7890B-5977A (Figure from Agilent)

What You Receive: Deliverables from Desmosterol Analysis

Standard Deliverables

  • Concise method summary covering sample preparation, chromatographic conditions, and MS acquisition settings
  • QC overview including calibration curve performance, QC sample results, and any flagged issues
  • Sample-wise desmosterol concentrations, plus other sterols in the selected panel, in ready-to-analyze tables
  • Key sterol ratios such as desmosterol:cholesterol and precursor:product pairs relevant to pathway interpretation
  • Pathway-oriented result summary highlighting main sterol shifts across groups or conditions
  • Short technical note describing any deviations from the planned method or QC criteria and how they were handled
Three-panel LC–MS/MS figure with desmosterol chromatograms, calibration curve, and QC stability plot.

Sterol chromatograms, a linear desmosterol calibration curve, and QC results confirming selective and stable LC–MS/MS performance.

Pathway map plus bar charts showing desmosterol and desmosterol:cholesterol ratio in control and treated groups.

Cholesterol biosynthesis pathway highlighting desmosterol and group comparisons of desmosterol levels and desmosterol:cholesterol ratios.

Advanced Data Analysis (Optional)

  • Group comparison tables with basic statistics (fold change, p-values or similar)
  • Simple visualizations such as bar plots, box plots, or heatmaps
  • Pathway map annotations linking sterol changes to cholesterol biosynthesis steps
  • Short written interpretation notes for key findings

Delivery Formats

  • Processed result tables in Excel or CSV format
  • QC and calibration summaries in PDF or Excel
  • Raw or vendor-format LC–MS/MS files on request for internal re-analysis

Explore our Lipidomics Solutions brochure to learn more about our comprehensive lipidomics analysis platform.

Download Brochure

Research Applications of Desmosterol Analysis

Cholesterol biosynthesis research

Map flux through late cholesterol pathway steps and identify regulatory bottlenecks.

Enzyme inhibition and MoA studies

Use desmosterol and related sterols as readouts for target engagement of pathway enzymes.

Genetic models of sterol metabolism

Characterize how gene knockouts, knockdowns, or overexpression reshape sterol intermediates

Neuroscience and brain lipid studies

Profile desmosterol and sterols in brain regions to support mechanistic CNS research.

Metabolic and lipidomics studies in model systems

Integrate desmosterol into broader lipid panels to interpret pathway shifts in animal, cell, or organoid models.

Plant and microbial sterol engineering

Evaluate how pathway engineering or stress conditions alter sterol intermediates in non-mammalian systems.

Sample Requirements for Desmosterol Analysis Solutions

Sample typeRecommended volume / amountContainer and notes
Serum / plasma100–200 µL per sampleScrew-cap cryovials; avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles.
Whole blood (EDTA)200–300 µL per sampleEDTA anticoagulant; gently invert to mix before freezing.
Cell pellets≥ 1 × 10⁶ cells per sampleWash with cold PBS, remove supernatant, snap-freeze pellets.
Tissue (animal)20–50 mg per sampleRinse if needed, blot dry, aliquot, and snap-freeze in vials.
Tissue (plant)50–100 mg fresh or frozenRemove excess moisture; freeze quickly after collection.
Culture supernatant500–1,000 µL per sampleClarify by centrifugation, transfer supernatant to cryovials.

General recommendations:

If sample quantity is limited, we can often adjust extraction protocols to work with smaller inputs; please contact us before shipment.

FAQs for Desmosterol Analysis Service

What is desmosterol analysis used for?

Desmosterol analysis is used to study cholesterol biosynthesis and sterol metabolism. It helps you see how compounds, gene edits, or stress conditions affect late cholesterol pathway steps.

Desmosterol vs cholesterol: why not just measure cholesterol?

Total cholesterol shows the endpoint only. Desmosterol moves earlier and more specifically, so it is better for detecting pathway modulation, enzyme inhibition, and on-target effects.

Which sample types can I send for desmosterol testing?

Typical matrices include serum/plasma, animal tissues (liver, brain, adipose), cell pellets, culture supernatants, and plant or microbial samples. Samples should be frozen promptly and avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles.

Do I need a full sterol panel or only desmosterol?

Choose a desmosterol-only assay when you mainly need a sensitive marker. Choose a sterol panel when you want to locate the pathway bottleneck or compare multiple enzymes and steps.

Can I integrate desmosterol data with lipidomics or other omics?

Yes. Results are delivered in standard formats (e.g., Excel/CSV) with clear analyte and sample IDs, making it easy to merge with lipidomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, or proteomics data.

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* Our services can only be used for research purposes and Not for clinical use.

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