Lathosterol Analysis Service—LC–MS/MS Sterol Panels

What Is Lathosterol and Why Analyze It?

Lathosterol is a cholesterol precursor in the post-lanosterol segment of the biosynthetic pathway. It sits near the end of the Bloch pathway and reflects the activity of enzymes that convert squalene-derived intermediates into cholesterol.

Because lathosterol is not obtained directly from the diet and is formed endogenously, its concentration in plasma or tissue is commonly used as a surrogate indicator of cholesterol synthesis in vivo. When normalized to cholesterol, the lathosterol/cholesterol ratio provides a robust readout of synthetic flux that is less sensitive to short-term changes in lipoprotein levels.

In research settings, lathosterol analysis helps you:

• Characterize cholesterol biosynthesis in animal models and cell systems.
• Evaluate how statins or other lipid-modifying agents affect synthesis versus absorption markers.
• Investigate rare inborn errors of sterol metabolism, where intermediates such as lathosterol accumulate along specific branches of the pathway.
• Integrate sterol data into broader lipidomics and metabolomics projects for pathway-level interpretation.

Lathosterol Analysis Solutions at Creative Proteomics

Creative Proteomics offers precise lathosterol analysis services for cholesterol biosynthesis and lipid metabolism research. Our LC–MS/MS-based solutions deliver accurate, quantitative data tailored to your research needs.

Targeted Lathosterol Quantification

We provide accurate lathosterol quantification in serum, plasma, tissue, and cell samples using LC–MS/MS with isotope-labeled internal standards. Ideal for dose–response and time-course studies.

Lathosterol in a Sterol Lipids Panel

Quantify lathosterol alongside key sterols such as lanosterol, desmosterol, 7-dehydrocholesterol, and cholesterol. This comprehensive panel offers insights into cholesterol biosynthesis and sterol metabolism.

Lathosterol in Mevalonate Pathway Studies

Analyze lathosterol alongside mevalonic acid and other intermediates for a complete view of the mevalonate pathway and cholesterol synthesis using complementary LC–MS/MS methods.

Lathosterol Add-On for Lipidomics

Enhance your lipidomics studies with targeted lathosterol analysis, using the same samples from your serum or mammalian lipidomics work, adding focused sterol data to your profiling.

Typical Lathosterol Panel Components

*The final analyte list is customized according to species, matrix, expected concentration range, and study objectives.

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

Analytical Methods and Core Instruments for Lathosterol Analysis

Lathosterol is structurally similar to cholesterol, which makes chromatographic separation and detection challenging on standard reversed-phase methods. To address this, our platform combines optimized chromatography with sensitive mass spectrometry.
Key technical features include:

• High-performance LC–MS/MS with triple-quadrupole systems for multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) of sterols in complex matrices.
• Optional GC–MS workflows for derivatized sterols, providing orthogonal confirmation and excellent separation of isomeric species.
• Advanced stationary phases, such as pentafluorophenyl (PFP) columns, to resolve closely related sterols and Δ5/Δ7/Δ8 isomers when LC separation is required.

For quantitative work, methods are typically configured with:

• Multi-point calibration curves (for example 6–8 points) covering the expected biological range of lathosterol, fitted with appropriate weighting (such as 1/x or 1/x²).
• Routine QC samples (system suitability, blanks, and pooled matrix QCs) injected throughout the batch to monitor retention time stability, peak shape, and response drift.
• Precision and repeatability checks, with intra- and inter-batch variation of QC samples kept within commonly accepted limits for sterol assays and flagged if predefined criteria are not met.

These settings are chosen to support linear, reproducible quantification of lathosterol and related sterols across the concentration ranges typically encountered in preclinical and translational research.

Agilent 6495C Triple Quadrupole (Figure from Agilent)

Agilent 1260 Infinity II HPLC (Fig from Agilent)

Q Exactive HF-X MS

Agilent 7890B-5977A (Figure from Agilent)

Lathosterol Analysis Service: Results and Data Analysis

Standard Deliverables

• Concentrations of lathosterol and all agreed sterols per sample, with associated units and limits of quantification
• Optional ratios such as lathosterol/cholesterol or lathosterol/lanosterol to support synthesis-focused interpretation
• Summary of QC behavior, including calibration performance, internal standard response, and basic batch-level metrics
• A concise method overview describing extraction, instrument platform, and chromatographic strategy

Representative LC–MS/MS chromatograms of the lathosterol-centered sterol panel.

Lathosterol-centered sterol profiling in a cholesterol biosynthesis study.

Research Applications of Lathosterol Analysis

Mevalonate pathway and cholesterol biosynthesis

Track how genetic or chemical interventions reshape sterol flux and bottlenecks.

Target engagement and mechanism-of-action studies

Use lanosterol and related sterols to read out enzyme inhibition in the pathway.

Metabolic engineering and strain optimization

Tune sterol profiles in yeast, fungi, or engineered cells for improved performance.

Lipidomics and multi-omics integration

Anchor global lipidomics or metabolomics data with a defined sterol pathway node.

Membrane composition and lipid storage

Relate lanosterol changes to membrane sterol balance, lipid droplets, and storage pools.

Preclinical pharmacology and safety assessment

Examine sterol pathway responses to candidate compounds across different experimental models.

Sample Requirements for Lathosterol Analysis Solutions

If your study has strict constraints on sample volume or mass, we can adjust the method where feasible after discussing expected sensitivity and reporting needs.

FAQs for Lathosterol Analysis Service