Bioactive lipids

Lipids are essential components of the cell membrane shown to play many dynamic roles in mediating and controlling a wide array of cellular activities including membrane structure and organization, metabolic and gene regulation, protein structure and function, energy production and signalling pathways. The main objective of this book is to present a clear overview of bioactive lipids to scientists and technologists not totally familiar with lipid research. Chapters discuss the nomenclature, structures, biochemistry, pharmacology and recent developments in the main classes of bioactive lipids. The first chapter deals with the properties and activities of fatty acids, followed by detailed discussions of diacylglycerols, phosphoinositides and lysolipids. Two chapters cover ceramides and glycosphingolipids. The remainder reviews prostanoids, leukotrienes and lipoxins, endocannabinoids and isoprostanes.