Dihydroceramide reductase is required to synthesize ceramide from dihydroceramide

The simplest glycosphingolipids (cerebrosides) are galactosylceramide (GalCer) (Figure 10) and glucosylceramide (GlcCer).

GalCer is a major lipid of myelin, whereas GlcCer is the major glycosphingolipid of extraneural tissues and a precursor of most of the more complex glycosphingolipids.

GalCer is formed in a reaction between ceramide and UDPGal

Most of the enzymes transferring sugars from nucleotide sugars (glycosyl transferases) are found in the Golgi apparatus.

The pathway bifurcates at phosphatidate, forming inositol phospholipids and cardiolipin on the one hand and triacylglycerol and choline and ethanolamine phospholipids on the other.

Plasmalogens and platelet-activating factor (PAF) are ether phospholipids formed from ceramide.

Ceramide is (N-acylsphingosine)