Sphingolipids

Sphingolipids are ubiquitous components of eukaryotic cell membranes and have been widely studied over the past couple of decades due to the discovery of their involvement in a wide range of biological processes. This chapter focuses on the structure, biosynthesis and degradation of sphingolipids, with particular emphasis on recent studies documenting the huge numbers of individual sphingolipid structures that are based on variation in both the sphingolipid backbone and the head group. Attention is also paid to the roles of sphingolipids in signalling pathways with emphasis on sphingosine 1-phosphate and on ceramide. The significance of sphingolipids in human diseases is highlighted, as sphingolipids are now known to play a role in conditions ranging in diversity from inflammation and infection, to cancer, psychiatric disorders and neurological and immunological diseases. Thus, sphingolipids have been repositioned as fundamental players in the regulation of human health and disease.