Lipid rafts in cellular signaling and disease

Abstract

Lipid rafts are cholesterol and glycosphingolipid-rich subdomains of the plasma membrane. Various molecules including those involved in signal transduction and pathology localize into the microdomain. Dynamic assemblies of lipid rafts with these molecules by intracellular or extracellular events conduct signaling and sequentially regulate certain physical responses. Furthermore, several microorganisms have been found to handle lipid rafts for their infections. This review provides several examples of dynamic raft functions in signaling regulation and in the molecular mechanisms in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and viral infections.