phytoceramides
phytoceramides
A phytoceramide is a ceramide where the sphingoid base is hydroxylated at position 4. These backbone bases can be 14 to 20 carbons long, either straight chain or branched. The N-linked fatty acids are typically saturated or monounsaturated with chain lengths from 14 to 26 carbon atoms; the presence of a hydroxyl group on carbon 2 is fairly common. In the illustrated generalised structure, R1 = OH, OX (where X = acyl, glycosyl, phosphate, phosphonate, etc.), or H.