Sphingosine phosphate lyase (SPL) is an intracellular enzyme responsible for the irreversible catabolism of the lipid signaling molecule sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). SPL catalyzes the cleavage of S1P resulting in the formation of hexadecenal and ethanolamine phosphate. S1P functions as a ligand for a family of ubiquitously expressed G protein-coupled receptors that mediate autocrine and paracrine signals controlling cell migration, proliferation and programmed cell death pathways. S1P has also been implicated in developmental and pathological angiogenesis, cancer, inflammation, allergy, diabetes, lymphocyte trafficking and morphogenesis of the heart, kidney and brain as well as their response to ischemic injury.