Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Membrane Lipids01:32

Membrane Lipids

25.5K
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...
25.5K
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

7.5K
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%...
7.5K
Membrane Domains01:18

Membrane Domains

5.6K
The membrane domains concentrate specific lipids and proteins at one place within the membrane, which helps in cell signaling, adhesion, and other critical cellular processes. These domains can differ in size, composition, function, and lifespan.
Protein Domains
The membrane comprises a group of distinct proteins responsible for carrying out a cell's specific function. For example, the plasma membrane of the human sperm, or a single germ cell, contains a unique set of proteins in the...
5.6K
Synthesis of Phosphatidylcholine in the ER Membrane01:27

Synthesis of Phosphatidylcholine in the ER Membrane

3.2K
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...
3.2K
Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

11.7K
Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is...
11.7K
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

12.3K
Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich...
12.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Differential equilibration in cis- and trans-ceramide monolayers: A molecular dynamics study.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026
Same author

Lipidome Plasticity Preserves Membrane Function in Sphingolipid-Depleted HAP1 Cells.

FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·2025
Same author

A nile red fluorescence assay for LC3 autophagy protein binding to lipid bilayers.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

Structure and dynamics of asymmetric membranes: general discussion.

Faraday discussions·2025
Same author

Engineering plasma membrane mimics: general discussion.

Faraday discussions·2025
Same author

Ceramide and the membrane-fusion activity of LC3/GABARAP autophagy proteins.

Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS·2025
Same journal

SMURF1-mediated EFEMP1 ubiquitination reverses the resistance of HCC cells to sorafenib by promoting ferroptosis.

Biochemical and biophysical research communications·2026
Same journal

Development and validation of HSP90AA1 as a risk gene in a HIF-1α pathway-related prognostic signature for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Biochemical and biophysical research communications·2026
Same journal

Quercetin suppresses TGF-β1-induced proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells via the Smad2/3/MMP-9 signaling axis.

Biochemical and biophysical research communications·2026
Same journal

Biosynthesis, characterization and biological potential of microbe-mediated silver nanoparticles using thermophilic actinomycetes, Streptomyces nigra.

Biochemical and biophysical research communications·2026
Same journal

COP9 signalosome 8 mediated autophagy drives proliferation, invasion, and metastasis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Biochemical and biophysical research communications·2026
Same journal

Tumor budding in colorectal cancer: partial EMT, microenvironmental remodeling, and metastatic competence.

Biochemical and biophysical research communications·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 22, 2025

Quantitative and Qualitative Method for Sphingomyelin by LC-MS Using Two Stable Isotopically Labeled Sphingomyelin Species
08:53

Quantitative and Qualitative Method for Sphingomyelin by LC-MS Using Two Stable Isotopically Labeled Sphingomyelin Species

Published on: May 7, 2018

9.9K

Sphingomyelin: What is it good for?

Félix M Goñi1

  • 1Instituto Biofisika (CSIC, UPV/EHU) and Department of Biochemistry, University of the Basque Country, 48940, Leioa, Spain.

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|November 7, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Sphingomyelin, once viewed as structural, is now recognized for vital roles in cell signaling and apoptosis. This lipid influences membrane order and forms critical clusters with cholesterol and ceramide.

More Related Videos

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

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

Published on: June 8, 2022

3.5K
Live Imaging Assay for Assessing the Roles of Ca2+ and Sphingomyelinase in the Repair of Pore-forming Toxin Wounds
18:25

Live Imaging Assay for Assessing the Roles of Ca2+ and Sphingomyelinase in the Repair of Pore-forming Toxin Wounds

Published on: August 25, 2013

11.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 22, 2025

Quantitative and Qualitative Method for Sphingomyelin by LC-MS Using Two Stable Isotopically Labeled Sphingomyelin Species
08:53

Quantitative and Qualitative Method for Sphingomyelin by LC-MS Using Two Stable Isotopically Labeled Sphingomyelin Species

Published on: May 7, 2018

9.9K
A Pipeline to Investigate the Structures and Signaling Pathways of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptors
12:27

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

Published on: June 8, 2022

3.5K
Live Imaging Assay for Assessing the Roles of Ca2+ and Sphingomyelinase in the Repair of Pore-forming Toxin Wounds
18:25

Live Imaging Assay for Assessing the Roles of Ca2+ and Sphingomyelinase in the Repair of Pore-forming Toxin Wounds

Published on: August 25, 2013

11.7K

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Lipidomics

Background:

  • Sphingomyelin was historically considered a structural component of cell membranes.
  • Emerging evidence suggests diverse functional roles beyond structural integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the multifaceted functions of sphingomyelin.
  • To discuss its roles in membrane organization and cell signaling pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of current research on sphingomyelin.
  • Analysis of sphingomyelin's interactions with cholesterol and ceramide.

Main Results:

  • Sphingomyelin actively modulates membrane molecular order.
  • It serves as a precursor to ceramide, a key signaling molecule in apoptosis.
  • Sphingomyelin participates in the formation of lipid rafts or nanodomains.

Conclusions:

  • Sphingomyelin is a functionally dynamic lipid with critical roles in cellular processes.
  • Its involvement in signaling and membrane organization underscores its importance in cell biology.