Phosphatidylglycerols are found in pulmonary surfactant, the lipoprotein complex that is formed by type II alveolar cells in the lung. They are important in spreading secreted surfactant over the type I alveolar cells. 1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero- 3-phosphorylglycerol has been found to be able to reduce the inflammation and infection of syncytial virus, the most common cause of hospitalization for respiratory tract infection in young children and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly.1 The enzyme cardiolipin synthase attaches two phosphatidylglycerols together to form cardiolipid which is a major component of the mitochondrial inner membrane.2 Phosphatidylglycerol is the main component of some bacterial membranes where it contains diacyl, alkylacyl, or alkenylacyl groups. Phosphatidylglycerols generally have saturated and monoenoic fatty acids on position sn-2 and polyunsaturated fatty acids in position sn-1. This is the opposite of the other animal phospholipids and is due to its being synthesized by a different mechanism. Phosphatidylglycerol has been found to be essential for the development of thylakoid membranes in some plants.3 Besides being critical in membranes it is essential for the oligomerization of photosystems I and II in cyanobacteria, for the sensitivity to chilling in plants, and for cellular fission and division in bacteria.
