Question

Can someone explain (in layman's terms) why sphingolipids can be either phospholipids or glycolipids?

Answer 1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sphingolipid.png

Do you know what the difference b/w a phospholipid and a glycolipid is? Look at the right of that picture that I linked to, where it has a R linked to the CH2O. Depending on what that R is is what can change what the lipid is, if it is a carbohydrate (making it a glycolipid) or a phophate head (making it a phospholipid).

Answer 2

Yes! I asked one of my TAs for this. I thought it might have had a more complex answer but thank you!