What is the Difference Between Isoprenoid and Steroid

The key difference between isoprenoid and steroid is that isoprenoids contain two or more units of hydrocarbons, each unit with five carbon atoms arranged in a specific pattern, whereas steroids contain four ring structures arranged in a specific way.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is an Isoprenoid
3. What is a Steroid
4. Isoprenoid vs Steroid in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Isoprenoid vs Steroid

What is an Isoprenoid?

An isoprenoid is any class of organic compounds consisting of two or more units of hydrocarbons where each unit contains five carbon atoms arranged in a specific pattern. These compounds play various roles in the physiological processes of plants and animals. They also have many commercial uses.

Isoprenoid and Steroid - Side by Side Comparison

Figure 01: Biosynthesis of Isoprenoid

Terpenoids are the largest class of isoprenoids that naturally occurs in plants. Terpenoids or isoprenoids are a large group of organic compounds that are derived from isoprene. These are naturally occurring organic compounds that originate from the 55-carbon compound, isoprene, and terpenes (isoprene polymers). These are multicyclic structures having oxygen-containing functional groups. Most of the known natural products are terpenoids. Sometimes, the terms terpene and terpenoid are used interchangeably, but these are different from each other because terpenes are simple hydrocarbon compounds while terpenoids are complex compounds having different functional groups.

What is a Steroid?

A steroid is an organic compound we can find in biological systems. It acts as a component in altering the membrane fluidity of the cell membrane and as a signaling molecule in cells. It is, therefore, a biologically active organic compound. The steroid molecule has a specific molecular configuration; there are four ring structures arranged in a specific way.

There are many different steroid compounds in plants, animals, and fungi. These steroids are produced in the cells. The source of steroid production is either sterols lanosterol or cycloartenol. These compounds are derived from the cyclization of the triterpene squalene.

Figure 02: Dihydroprogesterone, a Type of Steroid

The core structure of a steroid compound typically has 17 carbon atoms that are bonded to each other in the four fused ring structures. There are three 6-membered cyclohexane rings and a 5-membered cyclopentane ring.

A steroid differs from another steroid according to the functional groups that are attached to this four-ring core structure. Moreover, the oxidation state of the ring structures can cause the difference between the two steroid compounds. Examples of most common steroid compounds include lipid cholesterol, estradiol hormone, testosterone, etc.

What is the Difference Between Isoprenoid and Steroid?

The key difference between isoprenoid and steroid is that isoprenoids contain two or more units of hydrocarbons, each unit with five carbon atoms arranged in a specific pattern, whereas steroids contain four ring structures arranged in a specific way.

The below infographic presents the differences between isoprenoid and steroid in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Isoprenoid vs Steroid

An isoprenoid is any class of organic compounds consisting of two or more units of hydrocarbons where each unit contains five carbon atoms arranged in a specific pattern. A steroid is an organic compound we can find in biological systems. The key difference between isoprenoid and steroid is that isoprenoids contain two or more units of hydrocarbons, each unit with five carbon atoms arranged in a specific pattern, whereas steroids contain four ring structures arranged in a specific way.