Jonah Chan, PhD
Professor
Neurology
School of Medicine

He is a member of the Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vice Chief in the Division of Neuroimmunology and Glial Biology and Co-Director of the Innovation Program for Remyelination and Repair at UCSF.

The Chan laboratory has a long-standing interest in fundamental glial/neuronal interactions and the molecular mechanisms that regulate myelination. Myelination is one of the most exquisite examples of cell-cell interaction found in nature and functions to maximize the efficiency and velocity of action potentials transmitted throughout the nervous system. While much has been learned about the global determinants that generate myelin-forming cells during development, the Chan laboratory is particularly interested in understanding how local environmental cues control the spatiotemporal regulation of differentiation and myelination, including both molecular and biophysical interactions. Identification of an environment that is conducive for myelination could have important implications for efforts aimed at promoting repair and remyelination in the nervous system.

Current Laboratory Members:

Trung Huynh, BS Lab Manager Trung.Huynh@ucsf.edu

Sarah Raissi, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow sarah.raissi@ucsf.edu

Wendy Xin, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow Wen.xin@ucsf.edu

Monique Lillis, BS Graduate Student monique.lillis@ucsf.edu

Albert Zhang, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow albert.zhang@ucsf.edu

Sonia Nocera, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow sonia.nocera@ucsf.edu

Lahin Lalani, BS Graduate Student lahin.lalani@ucsf.edu

Irvin Bhangal, BA Assistant Specialist irvin.bhangal@ucsf.edu

Nora Jabassini, BS Assistant Specialist nora.jabassini@ucsf.edu

• Adolescent oligodendrogenesis and myelination restrict experience-dependent neuronal plasticity in adult visual cortex.
  bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology 2023 Xin W, Kaneko M, Roth RH, Zhang A, Nocera S, Ding JB, Stryker MP, Chan JR
• Remyelination by preexisting oligodendrocytes: Glass half full or half empty?
  Neuron 2023 Nocera S, Chan JR
• Insights into the mechanism of oligodendrocyte protection and remyelination enhancement by the integrated stress response.
  Glia 2023 Chen Y, Quan S, Patil V, Kunjamma RB, Tokars HM, Leisten ED, Joy G, Wills S, Chan JR, Wong YC, Popko B
• MWF of the corpus callosum is a robust measure of remyelination: Results from the ReBUILD trial.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2023 Caverzasi E, Papinutto N, Cordano C, Kirkish G, Gundel TJ, Zhu A, Akula AV, Boscardin WJ, Neeb H, Henry RG, Chan JR, Green AJ
• Validating visual evoked potentials as a preclinical, quantitative biomarker for remyelination efficacy.
  Brain : a journal of neurology 2022 Cordano C, Sin JH, Timmons G, Yiu HH, Stebbins K, Guglielmetti C, Cruz-Herranz A, Xin W, Lorrain D, Chan JR, Green AJ
• Motor learning revamps the myelin landscape.
  Nature neuroscience 2022 Xin W, Chan JR
• Plasma neurofilament light chain levels suggest neuroaxonal stability following therapeutic remyelination in people with multiple sclerosis.
  Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry 2022 Abdelhak A, Cordano C, Boscardin WJ, Caverzasi E, Kuhle J, Chan B, Gelfand JM, Yiu HH, Oertel FC, Beaudry-Richard A, Condor Montes S, Oksenberg JR, Lario Lago A, Boxer A, Rojas-Martinez JC, Elahi FM, …
• A hormonal therapy for menopausal women with MS: A phase Ib/IIa randomized controlled trial.
  Multiple sclerosis and related disorders 2022 Bove R, Anderson A, Rowles W, Rankin KA, Hills NK, Carleton M, Cooper J, Cree BAC, Gelfand JM, Graves JS, Henry RG, Krysko KM, Rush G, Zamvil SS, Joffe H, Chan JR, Green AJ
• Experience-dependent myelination following stress is mediated by the neuropeptide dynorphin.
  Neuron 2021 Osso LA, Rankin KA, Chan JR
• Metabolic Control of Sensory Neuron Survival by the p75 Neurotrophin Receptor in Schwann Cells.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2021 Follis RM, Tep C, Genaro-Mattos TC, Kim ML, Ryu JC, Morrison VE, Chan JR, Porter N, Carter BD, Yoon SO
• Clinical Applications of Myelin Plasticity for Remyelinating Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis.
  Annals of neurology 2021 Pan S, Chan JR
• Oligodendroglial ring finger protein Rnf43 is an essential injury-specific regulator of oligodendrocyte maturation.
  Neuron 2021 Niu J, Yu G, Wang X, Xia W, Wang Y, Hoi KK, Mei F, Xiao L, Chan JR, Fancy SPJ
• Enhancing myelin renewal reverses cognitive dysfunction in a murine model of Alzheimer's disease.
  Neuron 2021 Chen JF, Liu K, Hu B, Li RR, Xin W, Chen H, Wang F, Chen L, Li RX, Ren SY, Xiao L, Chan JR, Mei F
• Prolonging the integrated stress response enhances CNS remyelination in an inflammatory environment.
  eLife 2021 Chen Y, Kunjamma RB, Weiner M, Chan JR, Popko B
• TDP-43 maximizes nerve conduction velocity by repressing a cryptic exon for paranodal junction assembly in Schwann cells.
  eLife 2021 Chang KJ, Agrawal I, Vainshtein A, Ho WY, Xin W, Tucker-Kellogg G, Susuki K, Peles E, Ling SC, Chan JR
• Building a (w)rapport between neurons and oligodendroglia: Reciprocal interactions underlying adaptive myelination.
  Neuron 2021 Pease-Raissi SE, Chan JR
• Myelin plasticity: sculpting circuits in learning and memory.
  Nature reviews. Neuroscience 2020 Xin W, Chan JR
• Myelin degeneration and diminished myelin renewal contribute to age-related deficits in memory.
  Nature neuroscience 2020 Wang F, Ren SY, Chen JF, Liu K, Li RX, Li ZF, Hu B, Niu JQ, Xiao L, Chan JR, Mei F
• Preservation of a remote fear memory requires new myelin formation.
  Nature neuroscience 2020 Pan S, Mayoral SR, Choi HS, Chan JR, Kheirbek MA
• That Wasn't a Complement-Too Much C3 in Demyelinating Disease.
  Immunity 2020 Xin W, Chan JR
• Myelinating Schwann cells ensheath multiple axons in the absence of E3 ligase component Fbxw7.
  Nature communications 2019 Harty BL, Coelho F, Pease-Raissi SE, Mogha A, Ackerman SD, Herbert AL, Gereau RW, Golden JP, Lyons DA, Chan JR, Monk KR
• A surprising role for myelin in Williams syndrome.
  Nature neuroscience 2019 Osso LA, Chan JR
• Aberrant oligodendroglial-vascular interactions disrupt the blood-brain barrier, triggering CNS inflammation.
  Nature neuroscience 2019 Niu J, Tsai HH, Hoi KK, Huang N, Yu G, Kim K, Baranzini SE, Xiao L, Chan JR, Fancy SPJ
• Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators Enhance CNS Remyelination Independent of Estrogen Receptors.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2019 Rankin KA, Mei F, Kim K, Shen YA, Mayoral SR, Desponts C, Lorrain DS, Green AJ, Baranzini SE, Chan JR, Bove R
• Initiation of CNS Myelination in the Optic Nerve Is Dependent on Axon Caliber.
  Cell reports 2018 Mayoral SR, Etxeberria A, Shen YA, Chan JR
• Enhancing Oligodendrocyte Myelination Rescues Synaptic Loss and Improves Functional Recovery after Chronic Hypoxia.
  Neuron 2018 Wang F, Yang YJ, Yang N, Chen XJ, Huang NX, Zhang J, Wu Y, Liu Z, Gao X, Li T, Pan GQ, Liu SB, Li HL, Fancy SPJ, Xiao L, Chan JR, Mei F
• The TSC1-mTOR-PLK axis regulates the homeostatic switch from Schwann cell proliferation to myelination in a stage-specific manner.
  Glia 2018 Jiang M, Rao R, Wang J, Wang J, Xu L, Wu LM, Chan JR, Wang H, Lu QR
• Myelination of Neuronal Cell Bodies when Myelin Supply Exceeds Axonal Demand.
  Current biology : CB 2018 Almeida RG, Pan S, Cole KLH, Williamson JM, Early JJ, Czopka T, Klingseisen A, Chan JR, Lyons DA
• Clemastine rescues myelination defects and promotes functional recovery in hypoxic brain injury.
  Brain : a journal of neurology 2018 Cree BAC, Niu J, Hoi KK, Zhao C, Caganap SD, Henry RG, Dao DQ, Zollinger DR, Mei F, Shen YA, Franklin RJM, Ullian EM, Xiao L, Chan JR, Fancy SPJ
• Micro(glial)-managing executive function: white matter inflammation drives catatonia.
  The Journal of clinical investigation 2017 Pease-Raissi SE, Chan JR
• Regulation and dysregulation of axon infrastructure by myelinating glia.
  The Journal of cell biology 2017 Pan S, Chan JR
• Fibrinogen Activates BMP Signaling in Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells and Inhibits Remyelination after Vascular Damage.
  Neuron 2017 Petersen MA, Ryu JK, Chang KJ, Etxeberria A, Bardehle S, Mendiola AS, Kamau-Devers W, Fancy SPJ, Thor A, Bushong EA, Baeza-Raja B, Syme CA, Wu MD, Rios Coronado PE, Meyer-Franke A, Yahn S, Pous L, Lee…
• Clemastine fumarate as a remyelinating therapy for multiple sclerosis (ReBUILD): a randomised, controlled, double-blind, crossover trial.
  Lancet (London, England) 2017 Green AJ, Gelfand JM, Cree BA, Bevan C, Boscardin WJ, Mei F, Inman J, Arnow S, Devereux M, Abounasr A, Nobuta H, Zhu A, Friessen M, Gerona R, von Büdingen HC, Henry RG, Hauser SL, Chan JR
• Mechanical plasticity during oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination.
  Glia 2017 Domingues HS, Cruz A, Chan JR, Relvas JB, Rubinstein B, Pinto IM
• Architecting the myelin landscape.
  Current opinion in neurobiology 2017 Osso LA, Chan JR
• A high-throughput screen identifies a candidate molecule that promotes remyelination with significant translational potential (S50.003).
  Neurology 2017 Kelsey Rankin, Yun-An Shen, Feng Mei, Caroline Desponts, Daniel Lorrain, Ari Green, Jonah Chan, Riley Bove
• Regulatory T cells promote myelin regeneration in the central nervous system.
  Nature neuroscience 2017 Dombrowski Y, O'Hagan T, Dittmer M, Penalva R, Mayoral SR, Bankhead P, Fleville S, Eleftheriadis G, Zhao C, Naughton M, Hassan R, Moffat J, Falconer J, Boyd A, Hamilton P, Allen IV, Kissenpfennig A, …
• Accelerated remyelination during inflammatory demyelination prevents axonal loss and improves functional recovery.
  eLife 2016 Mei F, Lehmann-Horn K, Shen YA, Rankin KA, Stebbins KJ, Lorrain DS, Pekarek K, A Sagan S, Xiao L, Teuscher C, von Büdingen HC, Wess J, Lawrence JJ, Green AJ, Fancy SP, Zamvil SS, Chan JR
• Somatodendritic Expression of JAM2 Inhibits Oligodendrocyte Myelination.
  Neuron 2016 Redmond SA, Mei F, Eshed-Eisenbach Y, Osso LA, Leshkowitz D, Shen YA, Kay JN, Aurrand-Lions M, Lyons DA, Peles E, Chan JR
• Identification of the Kappa-Opioid Receptor as a Therapeutic Target for Oligodendrocyte Remyelination.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2016 Mei F, Mayoral SR, Nobuta H, Wang F, Desponts C, Lorrain DS, Xiao L, Green AJ, Rowitch D, Whistler J, Chan JR
• Dynamic Modulation of Myelination in Response to Visual Stimuli Alters Optic Nerve Conduction Velocity.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2016 Etxeberria A, Hokanson KC, Dao DQ, Mayoral SR, Mei F, Redmond SA, Ullian EM, Chan JR
• Activation of HIPK2 Promotes ER Stress-Mediated Neurodegeneration in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
  Neuron 2016 Lee S, Shang Y, Redmond SA, Urisman A, Tang AA, Li KH, Burlingame AL, Pak RA, Jovicic A, Gitler AD, Wang J, Gray NS, Seeley WW, Siddique T, Bigio EH, Lee VM, Trojanowski JQ, Chan JR, Huang EJ
• Zeb2 recruits HDAC-NuRD to inhibit Notch and controls Schwann cell differentiation and remyelination.
  Nature neuroscience 2016 Wu LM, Wang J, Conidi A, Zhao C, Wang H, Ford Z, Zhang L, Zweier C, Ayee BG, Maurel P, Zwijsen A, Chan JR, Jankowski MP, Huylebroeck D, Lu QR
• The environment rules: spatiotemporal regulation of oligodendrocyte differentiation.
  Current opinion in neurobiology 2016 Mayoral SR, Chan JR
• Remodeling myelination: implications for mechanisms of neural plasticity.
  Nature neuroscience 2016 Chang KJ, Redmond SA, Chan JR
• Oligodendrocyte precursors migrate along vasculature in the developing nervous system.
  Science (New York, N.Y.) 2016 Tsai HH, Niu J, Munji R, Davalos D, Chang J, Zhang H, Tien AC, Kuo CJ, Chan JR, Daneman R, Fancy SP
• Mechanostimulation Promotes Nuclear and Epigenetic Changes in Oligodendrocytes.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2016 Hernandez M, Patzig J, Mayoral SR, Costa KD, Chan JR, Casaccia P
• Astrocytes Underlie Neuroinflammatory Memory Impairment.
  Cell 2015 Osso LA, Chan JR
• Pro-region engineering for improved yeast display and secretion of brain derived neurotrophic factor.
  Biotechnology journal 2015 Burns ML, Malott TM, Metcalf KJ, Puguh A, Chan JR, Shusta EV
• The myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein directly binds nerve growth factor to modulate central axon circuitry.
  The Journal of cell biology 2015 von Büdingen HC, Mei F, Greenfield A, Jahn S, Shen YA, Reid HH, McKemy DD, Chan JR
• Phosphorylation of LKB1/Par-4 establishes Schwann cell polarity to initiate and control myelin extent.
  Nature communications 2014 Shen YA, Chen Y, Dao DQ, Mayoral SR, Wu L, Meijer D, Ullian EM, Chan JR, Lu QR
• Directed evolution of brain-derived neurotrophic factor for improved folding and expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
  Applied and environmental microbiology 2014 Burns ML, Malott TM, Metcalf KJ, Hackel BJ, Chan JR, Shusta EV
• Micropillar arrays as a high-throughput screening platform for therapeutics in multiple sclerosis.
  Nature medicine 2014 Mei F, Fancy SPJ, Shen YA, Niu J, Zhao C, Presley B, Miao E, Lee S, Mayoral SR, Redmond SA, Etxeberria A, Xiao L, Franklin RJM, Green A, Hauser SL, Chan JR
• Astrocyte-encoded positional cues maintain sensorimotor circuit integrity.
  Nature 2014 Molofsky AV, Kelley KW, Tsai HH, Redmond SA, Chang SM, Madireddy L, Chan JR, Baranzini SE, Ullian EM, Rowitch DH
• Multiple sclerosis: Prospects and promise.
  Annals of neurology 2013 Hauser SL, Chan JR, Oksenberg JR
• Stage-specific deletion of Olig2 conveys opposing functions on differentiation and maturation of oligodendrocytes.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2013 Mei F, Wang H, Liu S, Niu J, Wang L, He Y, Etxeberria A, Chan JR, Xiao L
• A rapid and reproducible assay for modeling myelination by oligodendrocytes using engineered nanofibers.
  Nature protocols 2013 Lee S, Chong SY, Tuck SJ, Corey JM, Chan JR
• Myelin-based inhibitors of oligodendrocyte myelination: clues from axonal growth and regeneration.
  Neuroscience bulletin 2013 Mei F, Christin Chong SY, Chan JR
• Olig2 targets chromatin remodelers to enhancers to initiate oligodendrocyte differentiation.
  Cell 2013 Yu Y, Chen Y, Kim B, Wang H, Zhao C, He X, Liu L, Liu W, Wu LM, Mao M, Chan JR, Wu J, Lu QR
• Phosphorylation of cytohesin-1 by Fyn is required for initiation of myelination and the extent of myelination during development.
  Science signaling 2012 Yamauchi J, Miyamoto Y, Torii T, Takashima S, Kondo K, Kawahara K, Nemoto N, Chan JR, Tsujimoto G, Tanoue A
• A culture system to study oligodendrocyte myelination processes using engineered nanofibers.
  Nature methods 2012 Lee S, Leach MK, Redmond SA, Chong SY, Mellon SH, Tuck SJ, Feng ZQ, Corey JM, Chan JR
• Neuroscience. Revitalizing remyelination--the answer is circulating.
  Science (New York, N.Y.) 2012 Redmond SA, Chan JR
• Neurite outgrowth inhibitor Nogo-A establishes spatial segregation and extent of oligodendrocyte myelination.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2011 Chong SY, Rosenberg SS, Fancy SP, Zhao C, Shen YA, Hahn AT, McGee AW, Xu X, Zheng B, Zhang LI, Rowitch DH, Franklin RJ, Lu QR, Chan JR
• Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) induces polarized signaling of small GTPase (Rac1) protein at the onset of Schwann cell myelination through partitioning-defective 3 (Par3) protein.
  The Journal of biological chemistry 2011 Tep C, Kim ML, Opincariu LI, Limpert AS, Chan JR, Appel B, Carter BD, Yoon SO
• Assessing the role of the cadherin/catenin complex at the Schwann cell-axon interface and in the initiation of myelination.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2011 Lewallen KA, Shen YA, De la Torre AR, Ng BK, Meijer D, Chan JR
• Myelin regeneration: a recapitulation of development?
  Annual review of neuroscience 2011 Fancy SP, Chan JR, Baranzini SE, Franklin RJ, Rowitch DH
• Monitoring apoptosis and neuronal degeneration by real-time detection of phosphatidylserine externalization using a polarity-sensitive indicator of viability and apoptosis.
  Nature protocols 2010 Kim YE, Chen J, Langen R, Chan JR
• Tapping into the glial reservoir: cells committed to remaining uncommitted.
  The Journal of cell biology 2010 Chong SY, Chan JR
• Engineering a polarity-sensitive biosensor for time-lapse imaging of apoptotic processes and degeneration.
  Nature methods 2009 Kim YE, Chen J, Chan JR, Langen R
• A collaboration conducive to conduction: matching axonal density to oligodendroglial number (Commentary on Kawai et al.).
  The European journal of neuroscience 2009 Hahn AT, Chan JR
• Modulating myelination: knowing when to say Wnt.
  Genes & development 2009 Rosenberg SS, Chan JR
• The geometric and spatial constraints of the microenvironment induce oligodendrocyte differentiation.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2008 Rosenberg SS, Kelland EE, Tokar E, De la Torre AR, Chan JR
• ErbB2 directly activates the exchange factor Dock7 to promote Schwann cell migration.
  The Journal of cell biology 2008 Yamauchi J, Miyamoto Y, Chan JR, Tanoue A
• Receiving mixed signals: uncoupling oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination.
  Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS 2007 Rosenberg SS, Powell BL, Chan JR
• Cdk5 regulates differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells through the direct phosphorylation of paxillin.
  Journal of cell science 2007 Miyamoto Y, Yamauchi J, Chan JR, Okada A, Tomooka Y, Hisanaga S, Tanoue A
• Anterograde transport and secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor along sensory axons promote Schwann cell myelination.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2007 Ng BK, Chen L, Mandemakers W, Cosgaya JM, Chan JR
• Myelination: all about Rac 'n' roll.
  The Journal of cell biology 2007 Chan JR
• NGF regulates the expression of axonal LINGO-1 to inhibit oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination.
  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 2007 Lee X, Yang Z, Shao Z, Rosenberg SS, Levesque M, Pepinsky RB, Qiu M, Miller RH, Chan JR, Mi S
• The polarity protein Par-3 directly interacts with p75NTR to regulate myelination.
  Science (New York, N.Y.) 2006 Chan JR, Jolicoeur C, Yamauchi J, Elliott J, Fawcett JP, Ng BK, Cayouette M
• The quest for remyelination: a new role for neurotrophins and their receptors.
  Brain pathology (Zurich, Switzerland) 2006 Rosenberg SS, Ng BK, Chan JR
• Ras activation of a Rac1 exchange factor, Tiam1, mediates neurotrophin-3-induced Schwann cell migration.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2005 Yamauchi J, Miyamoto Y, Tanoue A, Shooter EM, Chan JR
• The neurotrophin-3 receptor TrkC directly phosphorylates and activates the nucleotide exchange factor Dbs to enhance Schwann cell migration.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2005 Yamauchi J, Chan JR, Miyamoto Y, Tsujimoto G, Shooter EM
• Differential endocytic sorting of p75NTR and TrkA in response to NGF: a role for late endosomes in TrkA trafficking.
  Molecular and cellular neurosciences 2005 Saxena S, Howe CL, Cosgaya JM, Steiner P, Hirling H, Chan JR, Weis J, Krüttgen A
• NGF controls axonal receptivity to myelination by Schwann cells or oligodendrocytes.
  Neuron 2004 Chan JR, Watkins TA, Cosgaya JM, Zhang C, Chen L, Reichardt LF, Shooter EM, Barres BA
• Neurotrophins regulate Schwann cell migration by activating divergent signaling pathways dependent on Rho GTPases.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2004 Yamauchi J, Chan JR, Shooter EM
• Nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and neurotrophin-3 are sorted to dense-core vesicles and released via the regulated pathway in primary rat cortical neurons.
  Journal of neuroscience research 2004 Wu YJ, Krüttgen A, Möller JC, Shine D, Chan JR, Shooter EM, Cosgaya JM
• Schwann cells and astrocytes induce synapse formation by spinal motor neurons in culture.
  Molecular and cellular neurosciences 2004 Ullian EM, Harris BT, Wu A, Chan JR, Barres BA
• Neurotrophin 3 activation of TrkC induces Schwann cell migration through the c-Jun N-terminal kinase pathway.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2003 Yamauchi J, Chan JR, Shooter EM
• The neurotrophin receptor p75NTR as a positive modulator of myelination.
  Science (New York, N.Y.) 2002 Cosgaya JM, Chan JR, Shooter EM
• Neurotrophins are key mediators of the myelination program in the peripheral nervous system.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2001 Chan JR, Cosgaya JM, Wu YJ, Shooter EM
• Progesterone synthesized by Schwann cells during myelin formation regulates neuronal gene expression.
  Molecular biology of the cell 2000 Chan JR, Rodriguez-Waitkus PM, Ng BK, Liang P, Glaser M
• Glucocorticoids and progestins signal the initiation and enhance the rate of myelin formation.
  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 1998 Chan JR, Phillips LJ, Glaser M
• Measurement of the rate of myelination using a fluorescent analogue of ceramide.
  Journal of neuroscience research 1997 Bilderback TR, Chan JR, Harvey JJ, Glaser M