Sphingosine

Sphingosine is an 18-carbon amino alcohol that forms the backbone of many sphingolipids. Its amino group links to fatty acids to form ceramides, while its hydroxyl groups support further modifications.

Ceramide: A lipid composed of sphingosine or a related long-chain base linked to a fatty acid. Attaching a fatty acid to sphingosine creates the central precursor for many complex sphingolipids.
Serine palmitoyltransferase: An enzyme complex that catalyzes the first committed step of sphingolipid synthesis. It joins serine and palmitoyl-CoA to begin the pathway that produces sphingosine.
Fingolimod: An immunomodulatory drug that acts at sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors after phosphorylation in the body. Its receptor effects exploit a signaling pathway that begins with sphingosine.
Lipid raft: A dynamic membrane region enriched in particular lipids and proteins that can organize cellular signaling. Sphingolipids built on sphingosine contribute to the composition of these membrane regions.
Sphingolipid: A class of lipids built around a sphingoid base, often including a fatty acid and a polar head group. Sphingosine is one backbone that gives this lipid family its name.
Ceramidase: An enzyme that hydrolyzes ceramide into a fatty acid and a sphingoid base. Its action releases sphingosine from ceramide.
Sphingolipidosis: A group of inherited metabolic disorders caused by defective sphingolipid degradation or trafficking. Disrupted sphingolipid handling can alter the pools of sphingosine and related lipids.
Apoptosis: A regulated form of cell death involving coordinated molecular pathways. Changes in sphingosine and ceramide levels can influence pathways that promote cell death.
Sphinganine: A saturated 18-carbon sphingoid base that serves as a precursor to sphingosine. It differs from sphingosine by lacking a double bond in its hydrocarbon chain.
Sphingosine kinase: An enzyme that phosphorylates sphingosine to produce sphingosine-1-phosphate. It converts sphingosine into a potent signaling lipid.

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