Using mass spectroscopy lipidomics we have defined new aspects of glucose simulated lipid turnover in pancreatic beta cells.
Glucose directly stimulates triacylglycerol hydrolysis, of which di-saturated diacylglycerol species are excellent markers.
C18:1 is the most abundant monacylglycerol, and the one most obviously increased by glucose.
Phosphatidylcholine plasmalogens with poly-unsaturated side chains are preferentially decreased by glucose.
Glucose specifically enhances the conversion of ceramide to both sphingomyelin and galactosylceramide.