title: Lipid rafts in health and disease.
abstract: Lipid rafts are sphingolipid- and cholesterol-rich domains of the plasma membrane which contain a variety of signalling and transport proteins. Different subtypes of lipid rafts can be distinguished according to their protein and lipid composition. Caveolae are types of rafts that are rich in proteins of the caveolin family (caveolin-1, -2 and -3) which present a distinct signalling platform. The importance of lipid raft signalling in the pathogenesis of a variety of conditions, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cardiovascular and prion diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus and HIV, has been elucidated over recent years and makes these specific membrane domains an interesting target for pharmacological approaches in the cure and prevention of these diseases. This Review analyses the importance of lipid raft proteins and lipids in health and disease, with a focus on the current state of knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, Animal Science and Nutrition Building, Room 346, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Marica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakovic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D021941:Caveolae / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D022461:Caveolins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D022461:Caveolins; D005227:Fatty Acids