What is the unique component of a Glycosphingolipid?
It consists of a single galactose residue in glycosidic linkage to the C-1 hydroxyl group of a lipid moiety called ceramide (Figure 11.1). When its structure was deduced in 1884, the lipid moiety was particularly novel, consisting of a long-chain amino alcohol in amide linkage to a fatty acid (Figure 11.1).
What is the function of glycosphingolipids?
Glycosphingolipids are involved in the regulation of cell growth, differentiation, and neoplastic transformation through participation in cell–cell communication, and possible interaction with receptors and signaling systems (Lahiri and Futerman 2007).
What is the function of Cerebroside?
Glucocerebroside (also known as glucosylceramide) is a cerebroside in which the carbohydrate constituent is glucose. The latter is often found in non-neural tissues. In skin, it plays a part in enabling water permeability barrier function of the skin.
Is Glycosphingolipid a Glycoconjugate?
A glycolipid is a glycoconjugate comprised of a carbohydrate and a lipid. Examples include glycosphingolipids, glyceroglycolipids, and glycophosphatidylinositol. A glycosphingolipid is a glycolipid comprised of a carbohydrate and a sphingolipid — particularly one that has a sphingosine backbone.
Where are glycosphingolipids found?
eukaryotic plasma membranes
Glycosphingolipids, found in eukaryotic plasma membranes, are comprised of a ceramide backbone that has a glycan covalently bound to it. It is thought that glycosphingolipids act to modulate membrane-protein function, as well as playing a role in cell-cell communication.
Is cholesterol a Glycosphingolipid?
Cholesterol and glycosphingolipids (GSL) are the major species that accumulate in plasma membrane lipid rafts. We show that multiple cholesterol-masked GSLs can be coincident in tissues.
What is sphingomyelin made of?
Sphingomyelin is found predominantly in the plasmalemma and is composed of a long chain sphingoid base backbone (predominantly sphingosine), a fatty acid, and a phosphocholine head group.
Where are cerebrosides made?
Glucosylceramide (cerebroside) is derived from the degradation of glycosphingolipids, which are abundant in the plasma membranes of neurons and blood cells. Cerebroside is cleaved to glucose and free ceramide by the action of glucocerebrosidase.
What is ceramide and cerebroside?
The fundamental structure of a cerebroside is ceramide. Monoglycosyl and oligoglycosylceramides having a mono or polysaccharide bonded glycosidically to the terminal OH group of ceramide are defined as cerebrosides. Sphingosine is the main long-chain base present in ceramide.
Is cholesterol a glycolipid?
The cholesterol-based glycolipids are formed by the use of host-derived cholesterol and have been shown to be immunogenic, as well as possibly contribute to Lyme disease pathogenesis [7,8].