Molecular and physiological functions of sphingosine 1-phosphate transporters

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (SIP) is a lipid mediator that plays important roles in diverse cellular functions such as cell proliferation, differentiation and migration. SW is synthesized inside the cells and subsequently released to the extracellular space, where it binds to specific receptors that are located on the plasma membranes of target cells. Accumulating recent evidence suggests that SIP transporters including SPNS2 mediate SIP release from the cells and are involved in the physiological functions of SIP. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the mechanism and physiological functions of SIP transporters. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled New Frontiers in Sphingolipid Biology. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.