REGULATION OF CERAMIDE PRODUCTION AND APOPTOSIS

Ceramide is a sphingosine-based lipid signaling molecule that regulate s cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. The emerging picture suggests that coupling of ceramide to specific signaling casc ades is both stimulus and cell-type specific. Ceramide action is deter mined within the context of other stimuli and by the subcellular topol ogy of its production. Here, we discuss the pathways of ceramide gener ation and the interaction of ceramide with caspases and other apoptoti c signaling cascades.