We study lipids in the brain-
how they are made, moved, and function.
Thousands of lipids constitute our brain's membranes. Hydrophobic chains of diverse lengths and unsaturation (double bonds) are combinatorially paired with headgroups that themselves can be extensively modified. The lipidome is more challenging to manipulate, quantify, and observe than DNA, RNA, or the proteome, but harbors immense untapped potential for revealing how neurons and glia perdure for life, or fail in neurodegenerative diseases.
Left, idealized schema of plasma membrane consisting of outer leaflet lipids, which are typically saturated phospholipids and sphingolipids. In the inner leaflet, more unsaturated phospholipids dominate. Synaptic vesicle fusion and retrieval is critically dependent on the composition and distribution of these lipids.
Glia, the true stars of the brain, appear to play an outsized role in both lipid biosynthesis and catabolism, as the prima donna neurons are too busy computing.
Left, idealized schema of plasma membrane consisting of outer leaflet lipids, which are typically saturated phospholipids and sphingolipids. In the inner leaflet, more unsaturated phospholipids dominate. Synaptic vesicle fusion and retrieval is critically dependent on the composition and distribution of these lipids.
Glia, the true stars of the brain, appear to play an outsized role in both lipid biosynthesis and catabolism, as the prima donna neurons are too busy computing.
We are at UCSF Parnassus, MS1345 and HSW1326 (Anatomy Department)
Stop by and say hello! We are taking rotation students now!!
From flies to fish (and humans!), there are shared biochemical signatures in brain tissue across lipid subclasses. Mature brains feature a high degree of unsaturation in phospholipids, and high chain length asymmetry in sphingolipids. What functions do these different lipids play?
We are grateful to our funders!
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