MSI_000056709

N-Palmitoyltaurine, also known as N-hexadecanoyltaurine, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as N-acyl amines. N-Acyl amines are compounds containing a fatty acid moiety linked to an amine group through an ester linkage. Thus, N-palmitoyltaurine is considered to be a fatty amide lipid molecule. N-Palmitoyltaurine is a very hydrophobic molecule, practically insoluble (in water), and relatively neutral. Specifically, N-palmitoyltaurine belongs to the N-acyl taurines (NATs) fatty acid amide class. NATs with chains ranging in length from C16 to C24 have been identified in mice brain, liver, and kidney tissues. NATs were found to be regulated by the integral membrane enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and activated calcium channels from the transient receptor potential (TRP) family such as TRPV1 and TRPV4 (PMID: 16866345).