Glucosylceramide (bovine buttermilk) (Synonyms: GluCers (buttermilk), Glucocerebrosides (buttermilk))

Glucosylceramides are formed by the tethering of glucose to a ceramide by glucosylceramides synthase.¹ They are present in neuronal and non-neuronal mammalian tissues and are found at low quantities in a large number of plant species, where they comprise 5-30% of total lipids in the plant plasma membrane, and in fungi.^1,2,3 Glucosylceramides levels decrease during cold acclimatization in plants and glucosylceramides in fungi are involved in the regulation of virulence and act as elicitors in plants, stimulating plant defense mechanisms.^3,4 Glucosylceramides are precursors in the synthesis of lactosylceramides and gangliosides. Increased levels of glucosylceramides are associated with obesity-induced insulin resistance in mice and with neuronal deficits observed in neuronopathic Gaucher disease.^1,5 This product contains glucosylceramide molecular species with primarily C22:0, C23:0, and C24:0 fatty acyl chain lengths. As this product is derived from a natural source, there may be variations in the sphingoid backbone. [Matreya, LLC. Catalog No. 1521]

1.Holland, W.L., and Summers, S.A.Sphingolipids, insulin resistance, and metabolic disease: New insights from in vivo manipulation of sphingolipid metabolismEndocr. Rev.29(4)381-402(2008) 2.Cahoon, E.B., and Lynch, D.V.Analysis of glucocerebrosides of rye (Secale cereale L. cv Puma) leaf and plasma membranePlant Physiol.95(1)56-68(1991) 3.Lynch, D.V., and Dunn, T.M.An introduction to plant sphingolipids and a review of recent advances in understanding their metabolism and functionNew Phytol.161(3)667-702(2004) 4.Rollin-Pinheiro, R., Bernardino, M.C., and Barreto-Bergter, E.Sphingolipids: Functional and biological aspects in mammals, plants, and fungiAnalysis of membrane lipids21-40(2020) 5.Dai, M., Liou, B., Swope, B., et al.Progression of behavioral and CNS deficits in a viable murine model of chronic neuronopathic Gaucher diseasePLoS One11(9)e0162367(2016)