Neutral glycosphingolipids

The simplest neutral glycosphingolipids are the cerebrosides. These are ceramide monosaccharides that contain either a molecule of galactose (forming ceramide-galactose or galactocerebroside, the most common cerebroside found in myelin, as shown in Fig. 1) or glucose (forming ceramide-glucose or glucocerebroside, an intermediate in the synthesis and degradation of the more complex glycosphingolipids). [Note: Members of a group of galacto- or glucocerebrosides may also differ from each other in the type of FA attached to the sphingosine.] As their name implies, cerebrosides are found predominantly in the brain and peripheral nerves, with high concentrations in the myelin sheath. Ceramide oligosaccharides (or globosides) are produced by attaching additional monosaccharides to a glucocerebroside, for example, ceramide-glucose-galactose (also known as lactosylceramide). The additional monosaccharides can include substituted sugars such as N-acetylgalactosamine.

Figure 1: Structure of a neutral glycosphingolipid, galactocerebroside. ( is a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain.)

مواضيع ذات صلة

Blood clotting (coagulation)

Platelet Plug Formation: Aggregation

Platelet Plug Formation: Activation

Platelet Plug Formation: Adhesion

Limiting Clotting : Fibrinolysis

Limiting Clotting : Inactivating proteins

Fibrin Meshwork Formation : Pathways

Fibrin Meshwork Formation : Formation of γ-carboxyglutamate residues

Fibrin Meshwork Formation :Role of phosphatidylserine and calcium

Fibrin Meshwork Formation: Proteolytic cascade

Blood Clotting : Overview

Biotechnology and Human Disease