1. A sterol found in fungi and plants that is converted to vitamin D2 when exposed to ultraviolet light; the fungal equivalent of cholesterol in animal cells.
Usage: plural form of ergosterol; technical/scientific term; commonly used in biochemistry and mycology

Examples

• Ergosterols are the primary sterols found in fungal cell membranes.
• When mushrooms are exposed to sunlight, their ergosterols convert into vitamin D2.
• The pharmaceutical industry uses ergosterols as a precursor for vitamin D2 supplements.
• Ergosterols play a crucial role in maintaining the structural integrity of fungal cells.
• Some antifungal medications target ergosterols in the cell membranes of pathogenic fungi.
• Yeast cells contain high concentrations of ergosterols in their plasma membranes.