ceramide

Generic term for a class of sphingolipid, N-acyl (fatty acid) derivatives of a long chain base or sphingoid such as sphinganine or sphingosine; e.g., CH₃(CH₂)₁₂CH=CH—CHOH—CH(CH₂OH)—NH—CO—R, where R is the fatty-acyl residue, attached in this example to 4-sphingenine (sphingosine) in amide linkage. Ceramides accumulate in individuals with Farber disease.

- c. dihexoside the accumulated glycolipid noted in glycolipid lipidosis.

- c. lactosidase a hydrolytic enzyme (a β-galactosidase) that acts on c. lactoside, producing glucosylceramide and galactose. A deficiency of this enzyme can result in c. lactoside liposis. Cf.:cytolipin.

- c. lactoside a lactosylceramide that accumulates in individuals with ceremide lactoside liposis. Cf.:cytolipin.

- c. 1-phosphorylcholine SYN: sphingomyelins.

- c. saccharide SYN: glycosphingolipid.

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cer·amide 'sir-ə-.mīd n any of a group of amido sphingolipids formed by linking a fatty acid to sphingosine and found widely in small amounts in plant and animal tissue

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cer·a·mide (serґə-mīd) the basic unit of the sphingolipids; it is sphingosine, or a related base, attached via its amino group to a long chain fatty acyl group. Ceramides are accumulated abnormally in Farber disease. Called also N-acylsphingosine.