title: Sphingolipids and gangliosides of the nervous system in membrane function and dysfunction.
abstract: Simple sphingolipids such as ceramide and sphingomyelin (SM) as well as more complex glycosphingolipids play very important roles in cell function under physiological conditions and during disease development and progression. Sphingolipids are particularly abundant in the nervous system. Due to their amphiphilic nature they localize to cellular membranes and many of their roles in health and disease result from membrane reorganization and from lipid interaction with proteins within cellular membranes. In this review we discuss some of the functions of sphingolipids in processes that entail cellular membranes and their role in neurodegenerative diseases, with an emphasis on SM, ceramide and gangliosides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. echaves@pmcol.ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Posse de Chaves
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sipione
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D013107:Sphingolipids