Background:
The lysosphingolipid sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) regulates cell proliferation, apoptosis, motility, and neurite retraction. Its actions may be both intracellular as a second messenger and extracellular as a receptor ligand. S1P and the structurally related lysolipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signal cells through a set of G protein-coupled receptors known as EDG receptors. Some EDG receptors (e.g., EDG1; MIM 601974) are S1P receptors; others (e.g., EDG2; MIM 602282) are LPA receptors.