CERS3

This gene is a member of the ceramide synthase family of genes. The ceramide synthase enzymes regulate sphingolipid synthesis by catalyzing the formation of ceramides from sphingoid base and acyl-coA substrates. This family member is involved in the synthesis of ceramides with ultra-long-chain acyl moieties (ULC-Cers), important to the epidermis in its role in creating a protective barrier from the environment. The protein encoded by this gene has also been implicated in modification of the lipid structures required for spermatogenesis. Mutations in this gene have been associated with male fertility defects, and epidermal defects, including ichthyosis. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2015]

Ceramide Synthase 3

Ceramide synthase that catalyzes formation of ceramide from sphinganine and acyl-CoA substrates, with high selectivity toward very-long (C22:0-C24:0) and ultra long chain (more than C26:0) as acyl donor (PubMed:17977534, PubMed:22038835, PubMed:26887952).
It is crucial for the synthesis of ultra long-chain ceramides in the epidermis, to maintain epidermal lipid homeostasis and terminal differentiation (PubMed:23754960).

Ceramide biosynthetic process Source: UniProtKB
Cornification Source: UniProtKB
Epidermis development Source: UniProtKB
Keratinocyte differentiation Source: UniProtKB
Sphingolipid biosynthetic process Source: Reactome

Endoplasmic reticulum membrane

Ichthyosis, congenital, autosomal recessive 9 (ARCI9): A form of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis, a disorder of keratinization with abnormal differentiation and desquamation of the epidermis, resulting in abnormal skin scaling over the whole body. The main skin phenotypes are lamellar ichthyosis (LI) and non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (NCIE), although phenotypic overlap within the same patient or among patients from the same family can occur. Lamellar ichthyosis is a condition often associated with an embedment in a collodion-like membrane at birth; skin scales later develop, covering the entire body surface. Non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma characterized by fine whitish scaling on an erythrodermal background; larger brownish scales are present on the buttocks, neck and legs.