Hoekstra Dick, Maier Olaf, van der Wouden Johanna M, Slimane Tounsia Ait, van IJzendoorn Sven C D
University of Groningen, Department of Membrane Cell Biology, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV Groningen, The Netherlands.
J Lipid Res. 2003 May;44(5):869-77. doi: 10.1194/jlr.R300003-JLR200. Epub 2003 Mar 16.
In recent years, glycosphingolipids (GSLs) have attracted widespread attention due to the appreciation that this class of lipids has a major impact on biological life. Inhibition of the synthesis of glucosylceramide, which serves as a precursor for the generation of complex glycosphinglipids, is embryonic lethal. GSLs play a major role in growth and development. Metabolites of sphingolipids, such as ceramide, sphinganine, and sphingosine, may function as second messengers or regulators of signal transduction that affect events ranging from apoptosis to the (co)regulation of the cell cycle. In addition, GSLs can provide a molecular platform for clustering of signal transducers. The ability of sphingolipids, with or without cholesterol, to form microdomains or rafts is critical in sorting and membrane transport that underlies the biogenesis of polarized membrane domains. Here, a brief summary is presented of some recent developments in this field, with a particular emphasis on raft assembly and membrane transport in the establishment of membrane polarity.
近年来，糖鞘脂（GSLs）因其对生物生命具有重大影响而受到广泛关注。作为复杂糖鞘脂生成前体的葡萄糖神经酰胺合成受到抑制会导致胚胎致死。GSLs在生长和发育中起主要作用。鞘脂的代谢产物，如神经酰胺、鞘氨醇和鞘氨醇，可能作为第二信使或信号转导调节剂，影响从细胞凋亡到细胞周期（共）调节等一系列事件。此外，GSLs可以为信号转导分子的聚集提供分子平台。鞘脂无论有无胆固醇都能形成微结构域或脂筏，这对于极化膜结构域生物发生所依赖的分选和膜运输至关重要。在此，对该领域的一些最新进展进行简要总结，特别强调脂筏组装和膜运输在膜极性建立中的作用。
