Glucosylceramides
Glucosylceramides occur in both neuronal and non-neuronal animal tissues where they accumulate in the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane and are a major constituent of skin lipids. In plants, although there are some which contain significant amounts of glucosylceramides, the majority of plants only contain small quantities.1 Glucosylceramides are very important in the synthesis of lactosylceramides and gangliosides as they act as the starting unit from which these sphingolipids are produced. Gaucher disease is characterized by an accumulation of toxic quantities of glucosylceramides and glucosylsphingosines in the brain and spleen as a result of glucosylceramidase deficiency.2 There has been evidence that glucosylceramides may have a role in determining plasma membrane cryostability.3
References:
- E. Cahoon and D. Lynch “Analysis of Glucocerebrosides of Rye (Secale cereale L. cv Puma) Leaf and Plasma Membrane” Plant Physiology, Vol. 95 pp. 58-68, 1991
- R. Brady “Gaucher's disease: past, present and future” Baillieres Clin Haematol, Vol. 10:4 pp. 621-634, 1997
- D. Lynch et al. “Calorimetric and x-ray diffraction studies of rye glucocerebroside mesomorphism” Journal of Biophysics, Vol. 61 pp. 1289-1300, 1992