Used in research related to fungal cell membrane structure and function due to its presence as a sterol in fungal membranes, with a structure similar to cholesterol in animal cells. It serves as a biomarker for fungal contamination in environmental and clinical samples. It aids in studying the toxicity of antifungal agents, membrane permeability, and mechanisms of drugs targeting cell membranes. Additionally, it is used as a standard in chromatographic techniques to detect and separate sterols in biological samples. Also studied for its potential role in understanding antifungal drug resistance mechanisms.