lipid signaling
Lipid signaling is a vital part of the cell signaling.
Lipid signaling may occur via activation of GPCR’s or nuclear receptors, and members of several different lipid categories have been identified as signaling molecules and cellular messengers.
These include :
sphingosine-1-phosphate, a sphingolipid derived from ceramide that is a potent messenger molecule involved in regulating calcium mobilization, cell growth, apoptosis;
diacylglycerol(DAG) and the phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs), involved in calcium-mediated activation of protein kinase C;
prostaglandins, arachidonic acid-derived fatty acids involved in inflammation and immunity;
steroid hormones such as estrogen, testosterone and cortisol, which modulate a host of functions such as reproduction, metabolism and blood pressure;
oxysterols such as 25-hydroxy-cholesterol that are Liver X receptor (LXR) agonists.
See also
lipids