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Updated: May 10, 2026
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A Pipeline to Investigate the Structures and Signaling Pathways of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptors
Published on: June 8, 2022
Sphingomyelin and its role in cellular signaling
Mahua Chakraborty1, Xian-Cheng Jiang
1Department of Cell Biology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|June 19, 2013
Summary
Sphingolipid biosynthesis, crucial for cell membranes, impacts metabolic diseases. This chapter explores sphingomyelin
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Metabolic Diseases
Background:
- Sphingolipids are essential membrane components with roles in cellular processes.
- Sphingolipid de novo biosynthesis is linked to metabolic diseases, but mechanisms remain unclear.
- Sphingomyelin is a key sphingolipid involved in membrane structure and signaling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the role of sphingolipid de novo biosynthesis in metabolic diseases.
- To discuss the dual role of sphingomyelin in cell signaling via lipid rafts and catabolic intermediates.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on sphingolipid biosynthesis and function.
- Analysis of the structural and functional contributions of sphingomyelin to plasma membrane rafts.
- Examination of sphingomyelin's catabolism into signaling molecules like ceramide.
Main Results:
- Sphingolipid biosynthesis pathway involves endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, and plasma membrane.
- Plasma membrane rafts, formed by sphingomyelin, cholesterol, and glycosphingolipids, are crucial for cell signaling.
- Sphingomyelin influences cell signaling through its structural role in lipid rafts and as a precursor to bioactive lipids.
Conclusions:
- Sphingomyelin plays a significant role in cell signaling, impacting metabolic disease pathogenesis.
- Understanding sphingolipid metabolism is vital for addressing metabolic disorders.
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