A reference for learning and research
Sphingolipid.com explains the chemistry, classes, metabolism, and disease biochemistry of sphingolipids for students, researchers, and laboratory buyers. The site emphasizes structural distinctions, readable pathway diagrams, and references that readers can verify. It is an educational reference, not a clinical service or a substitute for primary literature.
The diagrams are original schematic illustrations. They intentionally simplify molecular shapes and cellular organization; captions identify their limitations. Disease descriptions explain biochemical mechanisms and do not offer medical advice. No personal health information should be sent to this website.
Editorial responsibility
The articles and original diagrams were prepared with AI assistance and edited by Richard Vaughn. Richard is responsible for maintaining the site and responding to corrections. No independent scientific peer review has been completed. “Last updated” records a page revision, not expert certification or endorsement by a cited institution.
Readers can follow the linked textbook, peer-reviewed, and NIH/NLM sources to check individual topics. Research findings should be interpreted within the organisms, models, methods, and conditions actually studied. Any future independent scientific review will identify the reviewer, relevant qualifications, scope, and date.
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References
Sources for further reading and verification. The update date records page revisions. No independent scientific peer review is claimed.
- Berg JM, Tymoczko JL, Stryer L. Biochemistry. 5th ed. W. H. Freeman; 2002. Chapters 12 and 26: lipids, membranes, and membrane lipid biosynthesis.
- Nelson DL, Cox MM. Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. 8th ed. Macmillan Learning; 2021. Chapters 10 (Lipids) and 21 (Lipid Biosynthesis).
- Hannun YA, Obeid LM. Sphingolipids and their metabolism in physiology and disease. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. 2018;19:175–191. doi:10.1038/nrm.2017.107.
- Merrill AH Jr. Sphingolipid and glycosphingolipid metabolic pathways in the era of sphingolipidomics. Chemical Reviews. 2011;111:6387–6422. doi:10.1021/cr2002917.
- Schnaar RL, Sandhoff R, Tiemeyer M, Kinoshita T. Glycosphingolipids. In: Essentials of Glycobiology. 4th ed. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; 2022. Chapter 11.