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Abstract
In mammalian cells, there are two major classes of sphingolipids---sphingomyelin and
glycosphingolipids (GSLs)--both of which are synthesized from the hydrophobic molecule
ceramide. The synthesis of most GSLs begins with glucosylation of ceramide to form
glucosylceramide (GlcCer), which, in turn, serves as the source of 300-400 GSLs. Although
most of these GSLs have been characterized chemically, the biological functions of
ceramide glycosylation and GSLs still remain enigmatic. The recent description of
a GSL-deficient cell line and isolation of cDNA for GlcCer synthase provide new insights
into GSL functions.