Ethyl palmitoleate is a more lipophilic form of the free acid. It is one of the fatty acid ethyl esters that increase cytosolic Ca2+ concentration leading to pancreatic acinar cell injury due to excessive consumption of ethanol. Ethyl palmitoleate (10-100 µM) in addition to 850 mM ethanol resulted in sustained, concentration-dependent increases in Ca2+ that caused cell death. This fatty acid ethyl ester is also a potential biomarker for fetal exposure to alcohol.