“Sphingo-” part of the name comes from the mythological Sphinx, a creature from Greek mythology. This name was chosen because the properties and functions of these lipids were puzzling and complex to understand, much like the riddles of the Sphinx. Or, maybe, much like the weird way the Sphinx was built: human head, eagle wings, and lion body.
Sphingolipids are present in all animals and plants and may be found in some fungi and bacteria. Great variability may apply regarding the types of findable sphingolipids in an organism.
Read more about sphingolipids, and their functions, and check relevant articles here:
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