About the structure and biological function of Sph
Structure. Sphingosines (sphing-4-enines, sphingenines, D-erythro-sphingosines, or Sph) belong to the group of sphingoid bases within the sphingolipids. Their structure consists of an amino alcohol with a monounsaturated hydrocarbon chain.
Function. Sphingosines are the most abundant sphingoid bases in sphingolipids of animals and serve an important biological role as biosynthetic precursor to sphingosine-phosphates. As free sphingosines, they interact with specific receptors playing a crucial role in cellular signaling, including growth arrest and cell death. Further, sphingosines are involved in anti-infectious mechanisms against microbial diseases.
