- cephalin
- cephalin ceph"a*lin (k[e^]f"[.a]*l[i^]n), n. [Gr. kefalh` the
head; it was supposed by Thudichum to exist in brain tissue.]
(Physiol. Chem.)
One of a group of phospholipids (nitrogenous phosphorized
fatty substances), present in all living cells and
particularly evident in nervous tissue. The cephalins consist
of glycerol phosphate in which the two free hydroxyls of the
glycerol are esterified with fatty acids, and the phosphate
forms an ester linkage to the hydroxyl of ethanolamine. The
phosphate may be linked to the alpha (end) or beta (middle)
hydroxyl of the glycerol portion. The natural isomers are of
the alpha form, and have the general formula
{R.O.CH2.CHOR'.CH2.O.PO2.O.CH2.CH2.NH2}, where R and R' are
the acyl residues of long-chain fatty acids, which may be the
same or different. [Also spelled {kephalin}.]
Syn: phosphatidylethanolamine. [PJC]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
