Commentary: Lipids and Liposomes can do More Than Carry Drugs: Phosphatidylserine as a Regulator of Blood Coagulation

Abstract

It is time that we consider applications of the properties of lipid molecules for other than building grocery bags for carrying therapeutic drugs from the pharmacy to sick cells. Lipids have other functions in the cell besides being components of bilayer-based membranes that separate cellular components. Aside from their role as barriers to diffusion, membranes serve to organize a good deal of cellular chemistry. They also provide lipid molecules that serve to regulate key elements of this chemistry. A great deal of lipid research now focuses on issues related to drug delivery via liposomes. Much of this is published in The Journal of Liposome Research. Is it not time that we “greasers” and this journal point towards lipids as the drugs as well as the drug carriers? The purpose of this brief comment is to review the role of lipids (especially PS) as regulators of cellular chemistry, with special emphasis being placed on the role of PS in regulating blood coagulation.