Cerebroside

Cerebrosides ( in the German language also Zerebroside ) are a group of glycosphingolipids, which are found primarily in the nervous tissue. There she is mostly seen in the myelin.

Structurally, the cerebrosides of a ceramide, is bound to the glycosidic a Monohexose, mostly galactose ( in the brain) or glucose (liver and spleen). Accordingly galactocerebrosides and glucocerebroside be distinguished.

Depending occurring fatty acid, a distinction between different types of cerebrosides:

A special case of galactocerebrosides are the sulfatides, they are β - Sulfogalactocerebroside.

Diseases

In Gaucher's disease the patients lack an enzyme, glucocerebrosidase, the glucocerebroside in sugar and fat splits. Thus, these accumulate in the phagocytes of the body. There is therefore an increase of the liver and spleen.

In Krabbe's disease the patients lack the enzyme β -galactosidase, which cleaves the galactocerebrosides. It affects mainly the brain.