Lamellar Phases Composed of Phospholipid, Cholesterol, and Ceramide, as Studied by ²H NMR.

ABSTRACT: Sphingolipids constitute a significant fraction of cellular plasma membrane lipid content. Among sphingolipids, ceramide levels are usually very low. However, in some cell processes like apoptosis, cell membrane ceramide levels increase markedly because of the activation of enzymes like acid sphingomyelinase. This increase can change the physical state of the membrane by promoting molecular order and inducing solid-ordered (S_o) phase domains. This effect has been observed in a previous ²H NMR study on membranes consisting of palmitoyl sphingomyelin (PSM) and palmitoyl ceramide (PCer). Cholesterol (Chol), too, is present at high concentrations in mammalian plasma membranes and has a favorable interaction with sphingomyelin (SM), together forming domains in the liquid-o

SUBMITTER: Siavashi R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6702149 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature