Mapping trasmembrane distribution of sphingomyelin.
Emerg Top Life Sci 2023;
7:31-45. [PMID:
36692108 DOI:
10.1042/etls20220086]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Our knowledge on the asymmetric distribution of sphingomyelin (SM) in the plasma membrane is largely based on the biochemical analysis of erythrocytes using sphingomyelinase (SMase). However, recent studies showed that the product of SMase, ceramide, disturbs transmembrane lipid distribution. This led to the development of the complimentary histochemical method, which combines electron microscopy and SM-binding proteins. This review discusses the advantages and caveats of published methods of measuring transbilayer distribution of SM. Recent finding of the proteins involved in the transbilayer movement of SM will also be summarized.
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