title: Membrane lipid domains in the nervous system.
abstract: The structural properties of the lipids forming biological membranes determine a very high level of lateral organization within membranes. Lipid-driven membrane organization allows the segregation of membrane-associated components into membrane lipid domains, now worldwide known as lipid rafts, acting as dynamic platforms for signal transduction, protein processing and membrane turnover. Many processes necessary to the correct functions of nervous system occur in lipid rafts and are dependent on lipid raft organization. Thus, an altered lipid composition frequently occurring in neurodegenerative diseases leads to anomalous lipid raft organization and then to deregulated cell signaling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sonnino
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aureli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ciampa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prinetti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009420:Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides