Sphingolipid hydrolysis enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract
In the intestinal tract, there are enzymes that hydrolyze both endogenous and exogenous sphingolipids. The alkaline sphingomyelinases (SMase) of the gut and human bile have been most studied, and a major part of this chapter discusses these enzymes. It also discusses studies of ceramidase, glycosylceramidase, and the digestion of dietary sphingolipids. In the intestinal tract, a distinct enzyme th