A mixture of LacCers isolated from bovine buttermilk with variable N-acyl chain lengths; expressed on the plasma membrane of human phagocytes; mediates phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and superoxide generation; forms membrane microdomains with Lyn kinase and the αi subunits of inhibitory G protein-coupled receptors; elevated levels in kidney cortex homogenates and urine are directly correlated with hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and obesity in db/db transgenic diabetic mice; promotes recruitment of CNS-infiltrating monocytes and microglia, and enhances neurodegeneration in mice with chronic EAE, a model of MS; correlated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, MCP-1, and MIP-1β, as well as lipids and macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques