Ceramides are lipid metabolites implicated in the metabolic dysregulation that accompanies dyslipidaemia and obesity. Using a genetic mouse model to acutely degrade ceramides in adipose tissue or the liver (i.e., by conditionally expressing acid ceramidase), in this issue of Cell MetabolismXia et al. (2015) identify roles for these molecules in insulin resistance, steatohepatitis, and interorgan communication.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.