title: Lipids in the nervous system: from biochemistry and molecular biology to patho-physiology.
abstract: Lipids in the nervous system accomplish a great number of key functions, from synaptogenesis to impulse conduction, and more. Most of the lipids of the nervous system are localized in myelin sheaths. It has long been known that myelin structure and brain homeostasis rely on specific lipid-protein interactions and on specific cell-to-cell signaling. In more recent years, the growing advances in large-scale technologies and genetically modified animal models have provided valuable insights into the role of lipids in the nervous system. Key findings recently emerged in these areas are here summarized. In addition, we briefly discuss how this new knowledge can open novel approaches for the treatment of diseases associated with alteration of lipid metabolism/homeostasis in the nervous system. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Linking transcription to physiology in lipidomics.
authors.affiliation: DiSFeB, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: gaia.cermenati@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cermenati
authors.affiliation: DiSFeB, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: nico.mitro@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitro
authors.affiliation: DiSFeB, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: matteo.audano@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Audano
authors.affiliation: DiSFeB, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: roberto.melcangi@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Roberto C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Melcangi
authors.affiliation: DiSFeB, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: maurizio.crestani@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crestani
authors.affiliation: DiSFeB, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: emma.defabiani@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Fabiani
authors.affiliation: DiSFeB, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: donatella.caruso@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caruso
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Myelin lipids; Myelin proteins; Nervous system; Neuroprotection; Transgenic models