Glycosylceramides or glycosphingolipids
associate a complex sugar and a ceramide.
This ceramide associates an amino acid (of serine type) to a fatty acid (akin to palmitic acid).
According to the nature of the sugar, or amino acid, or fatty acid, different subtypes are produced :
- galactocerebrosides
- glucocerebrosides
- sphingomyelins
- gangliosides (for instance GM3 when the ceramide contains neuraminic acid and a lactose based sugar)
- many other glycosylceramides.
