Sphingolipids: second messengers, mediators and raft constituents in signaling.

Recently, evidence has accumulated to show that sphingolipids exert an important function in signaling. These lipids serve as intracellular second messengers and as extracellular mediators. Furthermore, glycosylated sphingolipids are essential components of membrane rafts, which serve as platforms for the initiation of signaling cascades. Here, Eva Prieschl and Thomas Baumruker summarize current findings in leukocytes illustrating these different facets.