The Gill Heart Institute, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA. a.j.morris@uky.edu
Lysophosphatidic acid and sphingosine 1-phosphate are bioactive lipid mediators with potent effects on cardiovascular development and vascular function. New studies define dynamic mechanisms that maintain physiologically relevant levels of both lipids in the blood. We review the mechanisms controlling the production, metabolism, and distribution of these lipids between vascular cells, circulating blood components, and the plasma.