squalene
Noun
Meaning
squalene (countable and uncountable, plural squalenes)
(organic chemistry) A linear triterpene hydrocarbon found in shark liver oil and in human sebum; it plays a role in the biosynthesis of steroids.
Synonyms
Examples
Some of his research was conducted using radioactive acetate in bread mold: this was possible because fungi also produce squalene.
Their work showed that the body first makes squalene from acetate over many steps and then converts the squalene to cholesterol.