sphingomyelin
Storyboard Text
- Well, that depends on if I know what sphingomyelin is... which I don't. Tell me about it!
- Do you think the living things in the other galaxies have sphingomyelin in their cells??
- Sphingomyelin is a phospholipid in the cell membranes of mammals, especially in the axons of neurons! It is made out of a polar phosphocholine head group, sphingosine, and fatty acid chains. These are mostly saturated fatty acid chains, of 16-24 carbons, but a monounsaturated 24:1(Δ15c) acyl chain is also common. They also have 2NH (amine) and 3OH (hydroxyl) functional groups which are important for its hydrogen bonding characteristics.
- Right, so scientists have found that hydrogen bonding between these OH groups form extensive intramolecular H-bonding and the NH groups form a lot of intermolecular H-bonding between sphingomyelin and cholesterol and ceramides! These H-bonds actually stabilize interactions with cholesterol and ceramides which are other lipids found in the cell membranes. BUT! The catch is that this happens primarily in fully hydrated bilayers.
- Why does hydrogen bonding matter?
- Well, for the cell membranes, they need to adapt to environments. So sometimes they need to be more or less fluid-like. So sphingomyelin is really important because when it forms hydrogen bonds with cholesterol, it helps stabilize the liquid-order phase of the bilayer.
- Wow! Well that's so cool. Good to know! I am sure aliens have sphingomyelin in their cells membranes too!
- HAHA! Right! IF they have cells! HAHA!
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