Table 1.

Substrate specificity and tissue distribution of mammalian CERS isozymes

Isozyme	Preferred substrates	mRNA expression
CERS1	C18	Brain, skeletal muscle
CERS2	C22–C24	Ubiquitous, high in liver, kidney, lung
CERS3	≥C26	Skin, testis
CERS4	C18–C20	Lung, heart
CERS5	C16	Ubiquitous, high in brain, kidney, testis
CERS6	C16	Ubiquitous, high in brain, liver, thymus