Sphingolipids generation

Intracellular, ER-located, ligand-gated Ca2+ channels include the inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) receptor, the ryanodine receptor (RyR), the NAADP receptor and the sphingolipid receptor [157-159]. The IP3 receptor Ca2+ channel is opened by IP3 generated as a result of G protein-(or RTK)-mediated PLC activation [159]. 

Lipid rafts on cell membranes are cholesterol- and sphingolipid-rich domains that function as platforms for signal transduction and other cellular processes [6], Tethered lipid bilayers have been proposed as a promising model membrane to describe the structure and function of cell membratKs [7]. Based on these facts, we endeavor to array the lipid rafts as a form of tethered bilayer lipid membrare into the nanopattemed substrates to generate a raft membrane-based biosensing platform (Fig. Ic). 

A cell cannot divide or enlarge unless it makes sufficient amounts of additional membranes to accommodate the expanded area of its outer surface and internal organelles. Thus the generation of new cell membranes is as fundamentally important to the life of a cell as is protein synthesis or DNA replication. Although the protein components of biomembranes are critical to their biological functions, the basic structural and physical properties of membranes are determined by their lipid components—principally phospholipids, sphingolipids, and sterols such as cholesterol (Table 18-1). Cells must be able to synthesize or import these molecules to form membranes. 

Lightle, S. A., Oakley, J. I., and Nikolova-Karakashian, M. N. Activation of sphingolipid turnover and chronic generation of ceramide and sphingosine in liver during aging. Mech Ageing Dev 120 (2000) 111-125. 

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