squalene

American  

[skwey-leen] / ˈskweɪ lin /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. an oil, C 3 0 H 5 0 , intermediate in the synthesis of cholesterol, obtained for use in manufacturing pharmaceuticals.

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squalene British  

/ ˈskweɪˌliːn /

noun

1. biochem a terpene first found in the liver of sharks but also present in the livers of most higher animals: an important precursor of cholesterol

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squalene Scientific  

/ skwā′lēn′ /

1. A colorless, unsaturated hydrocarbon found especially in the liver oil of sharks and in human sebum. It is an intermediate compound in the body's synthesis of cholesterol. Chemical formula: C ₃₀ H ₅₀ .

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Etymology

Origin of squalene

1925–30; < New Latin Squal ( us ) name of a genus of sharks (the liver of which yields the oil), Latin: a kind of fish + -ene

Example Sentences

Livers make up about a third of sharks’ body weight and are rich in a nutritious oil called squalene, making them highly appealing to orcas, Watson says.

From Scientific American • Apr. 11, 2023

They brought with them a whoosh of dust particles from the outside, and also their own personal emissions—lactic acid from sweat, squalene from skin oil, and carbon dioxide.

From The New Yorker • Apr. 1, 2019

The composition of sebum varies from species to species; in humans, the lipid content consists of about 25% wax monoesters, 41% triglycerides, 16% free fatty acids, and 12% squalene.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

The result was a three-dimensional model showing how squalene is produced.

From New York Times • Dec. 20, 2013

Several beauty product firms have touted squalene, a substance derived from sharks’ livers that helps keep them buoyant, as a moisturizing agent.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2012