Alkaline ceramidase 1

Endoplasmic reticulum ceramidase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of ceramides into sphingosine and free fatty acids at alkaline pH. Ceramides, sphingosine, and its phosphorylated form sphingosine-1-phosphate are bioactive lipids that mediate cellular signaling pathways regulating several biological processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation. Exhibits a strong substrate specificity towards the natural stereoisomer of ceramides with D-erythro-sphingosine as a backbone and has a higher activity towards very long-chain unsaturated fatty acids like the C24:1-ceramide. May also hydrolyze dihydroceramides to produce dihydrosphingosine. ACER1 is a skin-specific ceramidase that regulates the levels of ceramides, sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate in the epidermis, mediates the calcium-induced differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes and more generally plays an important role in skin homeostasis.