fig1

Figure 1. Key reactions of the sphingolipid metabolic pathway. This diagram outlines the sphingolipid metabolic pathway. Ceramide synthesis initiates in the endoplasmic reticulum and is then conveyed to the Golgi apparatus, where it is transformed into various complex sphingolipids. In addition to its formation via de novo synthesis, ceramide can also be derived from the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin and the removal of sugar residues from glycosphingolipids. Once produced, ceramide can be converted into sphingosine, which can either be phosphorylated to form sphingosine-1-phosphate or recycled back into ceramide within the endoplasmic reticulum. (Created with BioRender.com)