Bioactive Ceramides in Health and Disease

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

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2. Introduction: Enigmas of Sphingolipids

   • Johnny Stiban

   Pages 1-3

3. Prokaryotic and Mitochondrial Lipids: A Survey of Evolutionary Origins

   • Emilia Rappocciolo, Johnny Stiban

   Pages 5-31

4. Ceramide Channels

   • Marco Colombini

   Pages 33-48

5. A Stroll Down the CerS Lane

   • Iris D. Zelnik, Batsheva Rozman, Eden Rosenfeld-Gur, Shifra Ben-Dor, Anthony H. Futerman

   Pages 49-63

6. The Role of Ceramide 1-Phosphate in Inflammation, Cellular Proliferation, and Wound Healing

   • Melissa L. Berwick, Brittany A. Dudley, Kenneth Maus, Charles E. Chalfant

   Pages 65-77

7. Ceramide Domains in Health and Disease: A Biophysical Perspective

   • Ana E. Ventura, Beatriz Mestre, Liana C. Silva

   Pages 79-108

8. Sphingolipids as Biomarkers of Disease

   • Faris Matanes, Waleed O. Twal, Samar M. Hammad

   Pages 109-138

9. Inflammatory Ocular Diseases and Sphingolipid Signaling

   • Richard Grambergs, Koushik Mondal, Nawajes Mandal

   Pages 139-152

10. Back Matter

    Pages 153-153

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This book is about the various roles of bioactive ceramides and other sphingolipids in cellular biology. The enigmatic biophysical and biochemical properties of ceramides and their propensity to influence membranes whether as rafts or protein-permeable channels are heavily discussed. Metabolism of ceramides and their metabolites is also focused with ceramide synthase family of proteins being a target of extensive review. Ceramide 1-phosphate and other sphingolipids are also presented in cellular physiology and pathophysiology. Prokaryotic origins of mitochondria at the level of membranes and the occurrence of apoptosis in bacteria are presented.

Many aspects of ceramide and sphingolipid biology are addressed in this book. Its focus is the metabolism of ceramide in normal and diseased states and the biophysical and biochemical mechanisms governing the bioactivity of these molecules. Sphingolipid research has surged over the past thirty years and this book gathers the recent findings of various aspects of sphingolipid biochemistry.

World-renowned scientists from the field of lipid biology, specifically sphingolipid biochemistry, were gathered to write this book. Scholars from most continents of the globe committed to write diligently about their expertise and the newest findings in the relevant fields. This book came to fruition after almost a year and a half of laborious preparation and diligent writings.

This book is targeted to the experienced reader who is looking to read about the various aspects of bioactive ceramide signaling, as well as to the newcomer into the field, as the topics are explained in concise yet very informative manner. The authors and editor wish all readers a pleasant time reading this volume, and are adamant that this book will meet all expectations.

 

• ceramide
• lipids
• apoptosis
• mitochondria
• cancer
• obesity

• Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Birzeit University, Ramallah, Palestine, State of

  Johnny Stiban

Dr. Stiban is an associate professor of cell biology and biochemistry at Birzeit University, Palestine. He is currently the chair of the department of biology and biochemistry. He obtained his PhD from the University of Maryland College Park and later joined the Weizmann Institute as a post-doctoral fellow. His research is focused on ceramides and their relevance in human biology, mainly in cancer and other diseases.

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