The Role of Ceramide 1-Phosphate in Inflammation, Cellular Proliferation, and Wound Healing.

The phospho-sphingolipid, ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P), has long been implicated as a dynamic bioactive agent. Over two decades of research has begun to characterize various regulatory roles for C1P from mammalian inflammatory response and wound healing to cellular proliferation and survival. As a metabolite of the intricately balanced "sphingolipid rheostat", C1P stands as a crucial physiological regulator of both upstream and downstream mechanisms. This chapter serves as an overview of established and implicated roles for C1P in cellular processes vital to diseases and mammalian physiology. Additionally, we discuss potential clinical roles for C1P in cancer treatment, wound therapy, and pre-disease diagnosis. While many questions remain regarding C1P metabolism and the extent of signaling factors targeted by this bioactive lipid, new technologies and methodologies show great promise to discern key targets, signaling pathways, and physiologies regulated by C1P.