SCD is an enzyme involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, primarily the synthesis of oleic acid. SCD belongs to the fatty acid desaturase family and is an integral membrane protein located in the endoplasmic reticulum. SCD plays a significant role in the secretion of triacylglycerols and phospholipids, as well as in regulating cellular cholesterol levels. SCD undergoes rapid turnover within cells, making SCD an excellent model for studying the selective degradation of short-lived endoplasmic reticulum proteins. SCD expression increases in cells differentiating into adipocytes and in certain tumor cell lines, highlighting SCD′s importance in metabolic processes and potential implications in cancer biology. SCD gene family exhibits variability across species due to gene duplication events, and SCD expression is influenced by dietary levels of unsaturated fatty acids, further underscoring SCD′s relevance in both physiological and pathological contexts.