Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

What are Lipids?

What are Lipids?

Membrane Lipids

Membrane Lipids

Lipids are an essential component of all biological membranes. The average lipid content in mammalian membranes is 50%, though it can be as low as 20% in the inner mitochondrial membrane or as high as 80% in the myelin sheath present around the nerve cells.
Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and sphingomyelin are the most common phospholipids present in mammalian membranes. At physiological pH, phosphatidylserine is negatively charged, while the other three...

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...

Phosphoinositides and PIPs

Phosphoinositides and PIPs

Phosphoinositides are a group of phospholipids containing a glycerol backbone with two fatty acid chains and a phosphate attached to a myoinositol sugar ring. The inositol head group extends into the cytoplasm, where it is modified by adding phosphate groups to form phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs.
Different phosphoinositides are synthesized and recruited on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. The localization of specific phosphoinositides concentrated in separate membrane...

Synthesis of Phosphatidylcholine in the ER Membrane

Synthesis of Phosphatidylcholine in the ER Membrane

The ER synthesizes lipids for building cell membranes and performing cellular functions such as energy storage and signaling. The lipid synthesis machinery embedded in the ER membrane primarily collects all reactants from the cytosol. Following synthesis, the secretory pathway and the ER contact sites distribute these lipids to other cellular organelles. Additionally, the energy-rich triacylglycerides are transported from the ER via lipid droplets.
The major components of all eukaryotic cell...

What are Lipids?

What are Lipids?

Lipids function as structural components of cellular membranes, in addition to acting as energy reservoirs and signaling molecules. They are thus crucial to all living organisms. The three biologically important classes of lipids are triglycerides, phospholipids, and steroids.
Non-Polar and Hydrophobic Characteristics of Lipids
Lipids are a structurally and functionally diverse group of hydrocarbons—compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms. The carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Prediction of effects of dairy selection indexes on methane emissions.

Journal of dairy science·2019

Same author

Measuring Phospholipase D Enzymatic Activity Through Biochemical and Imaging Methods.

Methods in enzymology·2017

Same author

Short communication: Estimates of genetic parameters for dairy fertility in New Zealand.

Journal of dairy science·2016

Same author

Phenotypic associations between gestation length and production, fertility, survival, and calf traits.

Journal of dairy science·2015

Same author

OX1 orexin/hypocretin receptor activation of phospholipase D.

British journal of pharmacology·2011

Same author

Mammalian phospholipase D physiological and pathological roles.

Acta physiologica (Oxford, England)·2011

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates

Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates

Published on: November 23, 2016

Phospholipase D: a lipid centric review.

G M Jenkins¹, M A Frohman

¹Department of Pharmacology, University Medical Center at Stony Brook, 495 CMM, Stony Brook, New York, 11794-5140, USA. jenkins@pharm.sunysb.edu

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS

|September 7, 2005

Summary

Phospholipase D (PLD) generates phosphatidic acid, a key lipid mediator. This review explores mammalian PLD

Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Cell Biology
Lipid Metabolism

Background:

Phospholipase D (PLD) hydrolyzes phosphatidylcholine, producing phosphatidic acid and choline.
Phosphatidic acid is a crucial intracellular lipid mediator for PLD functions.
PLD activity is conserved across diverse organisms, including mammals, plants, and microbes.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the lipid precursors and products of mammalian PLD metabolism.
To elucidate the roles of phosphatidic acid in mediating PLD functions.
To highlight the regulation of PLD by various cellular components.

Main Methods:

Literature review of mammalian PLD metabolism.
Analysis of lipid mediators involved in PLD signaling pathways.

More Related Videos

Method to Visualize and Analyze Membrane Interacting Proteins by Transmission Electron Microscopy

Method to Visualize and Analyze Membrane Interacting Proteins by Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published on: March 5, 2017

A Liposome Membrane Permeability Assay for Investigating the Effects of Phosphatidylinositol Phosphate Groups on Membranotropic Action of Venom PLA2

A Liposome Membrane Permeability Assay for Investigating the Effects of Phosphatidylinositol Phosphate Groups on Membranotropic Action of Venom PLA₂

Published on: September 26, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates

Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates

Published on: November 23, 2016

Method to Visualize and Analyze Membrane Interacting Proteins by Transmission Electron Microscopy

Method to Visualize and Analyze Membrane Interacting Proteins by Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published on: March 5, 2017

A Liposome Membrane Permeability Assay for Investigating the Effects of Phosphatidylinositol Phosphate Groups on Membranotropic Action of Venom PLA2

A Liposome Membrane Permeability Assay for Investigating the Effects of Phosphatidylinositol Phosphate Groups on Membranotropic Action of Venom PLA₂

Published on: September 26, 2025

Examination of regulatory mechanisms controlling PLD activity.

Main Results:

Phosphatidic acid is a central product of PLD activity.
Phosphatidic acid regulates diverse cellular processes, including cytoskeletal dynamics, vesicle trafficking, and receptor signaling.
PLD is regulated by lipids like phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate and signaling proteins.

Conclusions:

Phosphatidic acid is a critical mediator of mammalian PLD functions.
Understanding PLD metabolism and phosphatidic acid signaling is vital for comprehending cellular regulation.
Further research into PLD regulation and its downstream effects is warranted.