Substitued acids ceramide

Studies in the mid 20th century identified the effects, in rats, of essential fatty acid deficiency (Table 5). Biochemically, the disease is characterized by changes in the fatty acid compositions of many ceU membranes whose functions are impaired (see British Nutrition Foundation, 1992 Gurr et al., 2002 for further details). One of the striking features of essential fatty acid deficiency in rats is skin dermatitis and water loss (see Mead, 1984). Epidermal lipids are rich in ceramides. The fatty acyl substituent in these is linoleic acid linked via its carboxylic acid group to the terminal methyl carbon of another fatty acid (34 1 n-9) to generate an extremely long-chain (52 carbons) stmcture. 

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