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phosphoethanolamine

Phosphoethanolamine is an organophosphate compound that represents the phosphate monoester of ethanolamine. It can be described as ethanolamine bearing a phosphate group esterified to its hydroxyl, giving a molecule that carries both an amine and a phosphate functionality. At physiological pH, phosphoethanolamine exists predominantly in a zwitterionic form, with ionization states depending on the environment.

In cellular metabolism, phosphoethanolamine is an intermediate in the CDP-ethanolamine pathway (Kennedy pathway) that leads to

Beyond its role as a biosynthetic precursor, a phosphoethanolamine moiety is also a component of glycosylphosphatidylinositol

Phosphoethanolamine occurs in a range of organisms and can be detected in cellular extracts and bodily fluids.

See also: phosphatidylethanolamine, glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor.

the
synthesis
of
phosphatidylethanolamine,
a
major
phospholipid
of
cell
membranes.
The
pathway
begins
with
the
phosphorylation
of
ethanolamine
by
ethanolamine
kinase
to
form
phosphoethanolamine,
followed
by
conversion
to
CDP-ethanolamine
and
finally
transfer
to
diacylglycerol
to
yield
phosphatidylethanolamine.
(GPI)
anchors
in
many
eukaryotes,
where
it
serves
as
a
linker
that
attaches
certain
proteins
to
the
cell
membrane.
In
medical
research,
alterations
in
its
levels
and
metabolism
have
been
investigated
in
various
contexts,
including
cancer,
where
some
studies
report
changes
in
phosphoethanolamine
levels.
However,
there
is
no
consensus
on
its
use
as
a
clinical
biomarker,
and
findings
remain
exploratory
rather
than
diagnostic.