sphingosine

[ sfing-guh-seen, -sin ]
/ ˈsfɪŋ gəˌsin, -sɪn /

noun Biochemistry.

a basic unsaturated amino alcohol, C18H33(OH)2NH2, produced by the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin or gangliosides.

Origin of sphingosine

1881; earlier sphingosin, equivalent to sphingo-, combining form representing Greek sphínx sphinx + intrusive -s- + -in2; so called in allusion to the enigmas it posed for its discoverer

Words nearby sphingosine

sphingolipid, sphingolipidosis, sphingomyelin, sphingomyelin lipidosis, sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase, sphingosine, sphinx, sphinx moth, sphinxlike, sphragistic, sphragistics

British Dictionary definitions for sphingosine

sphingosine
/ (ˈsfɪŋɡəsɪn, -ˌsiːn) /

noun

biochem a long-chain compound occurring in sphingomyelins and cerebrosides, and from which it can be released by hydrolysis. Formula: CH 3 (CH 2) 12 CH:CHCH(OH)CH(NH 2)CH 2 OH

Word Origin for sphingosine

from sphingos-, from Greek sphingein to hold fast + -ine ²

Medical definitions for sphingosine

sphingosine
[ sfĭng′gə-sēn′ ]

n.

A basic, long-chain, unsaturated amino alcohol, found combined with lipids in the brain and in nerve tissue.