Mysterious Lipids Increase as Cancer Cells Die

Above, the colon cancer cells in red are unharmed. The ones in green are undergoing a highly orchestrated form of cellular death called “apoptosis.” Credit: Virginia del Solar

The role of organic compounds called “sphingolipids” in cancer remains a mystery—in particular, the way in which cancer cells die.

A new study sheds light on this topic, tracing how levels of various sphingolipids spike inside cancer cells when the cells are undergoing a highly organized form of cellular death called apoptosis.