The importance of sphingolipid metabolism on cholesterol uptake.

The receptor facilitating cholesterol uptake in the small intestine is localized in sphingolipid enriched membrane domains. These domains is implicated as carriers of proteins from the Golgi complex to the plasma membrane, and activities of other proteins localized in these domains are dependent on the rate of sphingolipid synthesis. Therefore, we will determine if it is possible to alter the cholesterol uptake, and thereby the blood-cholesterol level, by altering sphingolipid synthesis either through altered dietary habits or pharmaceutically.