Figure 1. Ceramide pools and their metabolic connection.

Biosynthetic pathway and metabolism of ceramide (black) – see main text for pathway description. The figure shows metabolizing enzymes (blue) and identified bioactive pools of ceramide (purple). SPT- Serine Palmotoyl Transferase; CerS- (dihydro-)Ceramide Synthase; Cer-DES- Dihydroceramide Desaturase; SMS- Sphingomyelin Synthase; nSMase- Neutral Sphingomyelinase; aSMase- Acid Sphingomyelinase; s-secreted form; aCDase- Acid Ceramidase.