Journal article

Publication year: 2010

Pages: 32-38

Journal: The Open Biology Journal

Volume number: 2010

Issue number: 3

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.2174/18741967010030100032

Publisher: Bentham Open

Abstract: 

Lipid rafts are specialized plasma membrane micro-domains highly enriched in cholesterol, sphingolipids and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchored proteins. Lipid rafts are thought to be located in the exofacial leaflet of plasma membranes. Functionally, lipid rafts are involved in intracellular trafficking of proteins and lipids, secretory and endocytotic pathways, signal transduction, inflammation and in cell-surface proteolysis. There has been substantial interest in lipid rafts in brain, both with respect to normal functioning and with certain neurodegenerative diseases. Based on the impact of lipid rafts on multitude biochemical pathways, modulation of lipid rafts is used to study related disease pathways and probably offers a target for pharmacological intervention. Lipid rafts can be targeted by modulation of its main components, namely cholesterol and sphingolipids. Other approaches include the modulation of membrane dynamics and it has been reported that protein-lipid interactions can vary the occurrence and composition of these membrane micro-domains. The present review summarizes the possibilities to modulate lipid rafts with focus on neuronal cells.

Harvard Citation style: Eckert, G. (2010) Manipulation of Lipid Rafts in Neuronal Cells, The Open Biology Journal, 2010(3), pp. 32-38. https://doi.org/10.2174/18741967010030100032

APA Citation style: Eckert, G. (2010). Manipulation of Lipid Rafts in Neuronal Cells. The Open Biology Journal. 2010(3), 32-38. https://doi.org/10.2174/18741967010030100032