Sphingolipids (SLs) are a family of bioactive lipids implicated in a variety of cellular processes, and whose levels are controlled by an interlinked network of enzymes. While the spatial distribution of SL metabolism throughout the cell has been understood for some time, the implications of this for SL signaling and biological outcomes have only recently begun to be fully explored. In this review, we outline the compartmentalization of SL metabolism and describe advances in tools for investigating and probing compartment-specific SL functions. We also briefly discuss the implications of SL compartmentalization for cell signaling and therapeutic approaches to targeting the SL network.

鞘脂 (SL) 是涉及多种细胞过程的生物活性脂质家族，其水平受相互关联的酶网络控制。虽然 SL 代谢在整个细胞中的空间分布已经被了解了一段时间，但这对 SL 信号和生物学结果的影响直到最近才开始得到充分探索。在这篇综述中，我们概述了 SL 代谢的区室化，并描述了用于调查和探测隔室特定 SL 功能的工具的进展。我们还简要讨论了 SL 区室化对细胞信号传导的影响以及针对 SL 网络的治疗方法。