Fatty Acid Hydroxylase (FAAH)

FAAH encodes a protein that catalyzes the synthesis of 2-hydroxysphingolipids, a subset of sphingolipids that contain 2-hydroxy fatty acids.  The structural diversity of sphingolipids stems from more than 300 distinct head groups, as well as from modifications of the hydrophobic ceramide moiety. FA2H catalyzes a common modification of the ceramide moiety: hydroxylation at the 2 position of the N-acyl chain. Sphingolipids containing 2-hydroxy fatty acid are common in nervous and epidermal tissue. Glycosphingolipids containing a high proportion of 2-hydroxy fatty acid are critical components of myelin, and several very long chain ceramides with 2-hydroxy fatty acids are important for the permeability barrier function of epidermis.