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Related Concept Videos

Membrane Lipids01:32

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...
Membrane Lipids01:32

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 Bilayer01:35

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%...
Lipids as Anchors01:32

Lipids as Anchors

In the plasma membrane, the lipids forming the bilayer can also act as an anchor to tether proteins to the membrane. The three main types of lipid anchors found in eukaryotes are – prenyl groups, fatty acyl groups, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol or GPI groups. Prenyl and fatty acyl groups act as anchors on the cytosolic surface of the membrane, whereas GPI anchors proteins on the extracellular side.
The carboxy-terminal of most of the prenylated proteins, such as Ras proteins, contains the...
What are Lipids?01:38

What are Lipids?

Overview
What are Lipids?01:31

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...

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Updated: May 13, 2026

A Pipeline to Investigate the Structures and Signaling Pathways of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptors
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A Pipeline to Investigate the Structures and Signaling Pathways of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptors

Published on: June 8, 2022

Plant sphingolipids: function follows form.

Jennifer E Markham1, Daniel V Lynch, Johnathan A Napier

  • 1Center for Plant Science Innovation and Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Beadle Center, 1901 Vine Street, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.

Current Opinion in Plant Biology
|March 19, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Plant sphingolipids exhibit structural diversity influencing their function. Modifications like hydroxylation and desaturation impact metabolic routing and cellular roles, highlighting their importance in plant biology.

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Arabidopsis thaliana Polar Glycerolipid Profiling by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) Coupled with Gas-Liquid Chromatography (GLC)
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Arabidopsis thaliana Polar Glycerolipid Profiling by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) Coupled with Gas-Liquid Chromatography (GLC)

Published on: March 18, 2011

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Last Updated: May 13, 2026

A Pipeline to Investigate the Structures and Signaling Pathways of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptors
12:27

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Published on: June 8, 2022

Defining Substrate Specificities for Lipase and Phospholipase Candidates
08:59

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Published on: November 23, 2016

Arabidopsis thaliana Polar Glycerolipid Profiling by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) Coupled with Gas-Liquid Chromatography (GLC)
13:02

Arabidopsis thaliana Polar Glycerolipid Profiling by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) Coupled with Gas-Liquid Chromatography (GLC)

Published on: March 18, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Plant molecular biology
  • Lipid biochemistry

Background:

  • Sphingolipids are vital membrane components and signaling molecules in plants.
  • Structural diversity of plant sphingolipids is linked to their varied functions.
  • Understanding these relationships is crucial for plant science.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent findings on prevalent sphingolipid structural modifications in plants.
  • To explore the functional significance of these modifications.
  • To connect structural diversity with functional roles in plant cells.

Main Methods:

  • Characterization of Arabidopsis mutants.
  • Advanced analytical methods for sphingolipid analysis.
  • Review of recent scientific literature.

Main Results:

  • Sphingolipid structural modifications (hydroxylation, desaturation) influence metabolic pathways.
  • These modifications affect routing to specific complex sphingolipid classes.
  • Modified sphingolipids play roles in signaling and membrane protein targeting.

Conclusions:

  • Structural diversity in plant sphingolipids is functionally significant.
  • Modifications like hydroxylation and desaturation are key determinants of sphingolipid function.
  • Further research into plant sphingolipid modifications will advance understanding of plant cellular processes.