What is ceramide?

Ceramide is a lipid molecule composed of amino acid sphingosine and fatty acid These molecules are abundant in the plasma membrane and play the role of signal molecules in many cell functions In addition, they play a role in specific pathological states, including cancer, diabetes, obesity and inflammation All cells are covered by a semipermeable membrane composed of lipid bilayers Each lipid molecule has a hydrophilic protein head facing out of the membrane and a tail composed of fatty acids Cell membranes are designed to selectively allow molecules in and out of cells and to perform some cellular functions In a ceramide, the head is sphingosine Ceramide induces cell functions including cell growth arrest, cell aging, differentiation, proliferation, adhesion, cell migration, apoptosis, or programmed cell death It is also thought to help inhibit the spread of cancer cells through these functions Many chemicals and stress-related inducers cause these molecules to form in cells There are three ways to produce ceramide: hydrolysis of sphingomyelin, de novo synthesis and remediation In the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin, sphingomyelin is hydrolyzed by the activation of neurophospholidase, which is a process in which molecules decompose by water reaction The result is ceramide production In the process of de novo synthesis, a series of enzymes create some simple molecules In this process, endoplasmic reticulum was synthesized and then transformed into Golgi In the recovery pathway, the complex myelin sheath is broken down to form sphingosine, which is used to synthesize ceramide Scientists have not yet fully understood ceramide, and its process as a signal molecule is not very clear It is assumed that it stabilizes the lipid rafts, which are smaller lipid platforms that connect intracellular and extracellular signals.