Sphingolipids
These
pages comprise a series of documents describing the structures, occurrence, biochemistry and functions of
the sphingolipids, including sphingoid bases, ceramides, sphingo-phospholipids,
such as sphingomyelin and the glycosphingolipids.
The basic building block of a sphingolipid is a sphingoid base such as sphingosine, linked via an amide bond to a long-chain fatty acid to form a ceramide. Both the base and the ceramide molecule have important biological activities in their own right, but they can also be linked via the terminal hydroxyl group to phosphate or to carbohydrate moieties, which can be highly complex. All of these are important as membrane constituents, in the specialized micro-domains termed 'rafts'. In addition, they may have other vital biological functions, for example as cellular messengers or as part of the immune system. They are the source of a number of different metabolites, which must remain in a correct balance to maintain the health of the organism. These distinctive lipids are described in the webpages listed below.
Sphingolipids:
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The webpages dealing with phosphonolipids and sulfonolipids are also relevant here.
PDF files of each topic are available for download at the end of web-pages. There are shortcuts to a full list of individual lipid classes here.
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Updated: 5/3/2008 |
Scottish Crop Research Institute (and MRS Lipid Analysis Unit), Invergowrie, Dundee (DD2 5DA), Scotland
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