Lipid Classification Update

In order to facilite both international communication about lipids and bioinformatics processing of large amounts of experimental data, the LIPID MAPS Consortium, in collaboration with the European Lipidomics Initiative and the Japanese Conference on the Biochemistry of Lipids, has developed a comprehensive lipid classification scheme. (A comprehensive classification system for lipids. Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 46, 839-862, May 2005.)

Following a recent meeting (July 7th, 2006) of the International Lipids Classification and Nomenclature Committee (ILCNC) a number of updates have been made to the lipid classification system. In particular, the Sterols class within the Sterol Lipids category has been extensively revised to specify subclasses based on core structures, as opposed to species-specific terms. A Retinoids subclass has been added to the Prenol Lipid category and the Hopanoids class has been moved from the Sterol Lipids category to Prenol Lipids.

The LIPID MAPS Structure Database (LMSD) relies on the above classification and nomenclature systems and currently contains over 8900 lipids. You may browse the complete classification hierarchy, or examine individual categories by clicking on the corresponding links below. Each category of lipids is presented along with its main and subclasses, which are linked to corresponding lists of lipids from LMSD, allowing you to drill-down from lipid category to main class to subclass to records for individual lipids.

Contents of LMSD by Lipid Category
- Sept 07, 2006

Fatty Acyls	2207
Glycerolipids	2948
Glycerophospholipids	1854
Sphingolipids	485
Sterol Lipids	1373
Prenol Lipids	27
Saccharolipids	10
Polyketides	3