Ceramides are generated from sphingomyelin through activation of sphingomyelinases or through the de novo synthesis pathway. Certain forms of ceramide have been shown to mediate cellular responses such as apoptosis, growth arrest, and differentiation in certain cell types. C-20 Ceramide is a natural 20:0 ceramide that is abundant in the brain. It is synthesized de novo by ceramide synthases 1 and 2.
