Phosphatidylethanolamine is the most abundant phospholipid in prokaryotes and the second most abundant found in the membrane of mammalian, plant, and yeast cells, comprising approximately 25% of total mammalian phospholipids. In the brain, phosphatidylethanolamine comprises almost half of the total phospholipids. It is synthesized mainly through the cytidine diphosphate-ethanolamine and phosphatidylserine decarboxylation pathways, which occur in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrial membranes, respectively. It is a precursor in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and arachidonoyl ethanolamide and is a source of ethanolamine used in various cellular functions. In E. coli, phosphatidylethanolamine deficiency prevents proper assembly of lactose permease, suggesting a role as a lipid chaperone. It is a cofactor in the propagation of prions in vitro and can convert recombinant mammalian proteins into infectious molecules even in the absence of RNA. Phosphatidylethanolamines (soy) is a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamines isolated from soy with various fatty acyl groups at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions.

Glycerophospholipids, cephalins (Phosphatidylethanolamines (egg)) are a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamines isolated from eggs, with various fatty acyl groups at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions. Glycerophospholipids and cephalins can be completely hydrolyzed to obtain 1 mol of glycerol, phosphoric acid, ethanolamine and 2 mol of fatty acids. Phosphatidylethanolamines play a role in membrane fusion and disassembly of contractile rings during cell division, regulating membrane curvature. Phosphatidylethanolamines are able to transmit infectious prions without the help of any proteins or nucleic acids. One of the main roles of Phosphatidylethanolamines in bacterial membranes is to disperse the negative charges caused by anionic membrane phospholipids.

Lysophosphatidylethanolamines (egg) are the partial hydrolysis products of phosphatidylethanolamine.

Phosphatidylethanolamines are important components of cell membranes and biochemical pathways of fatty acid synthesis. 1-Palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl PE (PLPE) is one of the many phosphatidylethanolamines that may be present in cellular membranes. It has been used in studies involving the biosynthesis of anandamide via the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and lysoPLD pathways. PLPE can also be used as a specific substrate to assess the activity of sPLA2-IIA in the presence of other phospholipids.

1,3-Dipalmitoyl glycero-2-phosphatidylethanolamine is a phospholipid incorporating saturated long-chain (16:0) stearic acid at the sn-1 and sn-3 positions, with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) at the sn-2 position. Phosphatidylethanolamines, critical components of biological membranes, play essential structural and functional roles. Various PE types are instrumental in forming micelles, liposomes, and other synthetic membranes.

Phosphatidylethanolamines (bovine) are a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamines isolated from bovine brain with different fatty acyl groups at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions.Phosphatidylethanolamines (bovine) are the most abundant phospholipids in prokaryotes and the second most abundant in mammalian, plant and yeast cell membranes. Phosphatidylethanolamines (bovine) are the most abundant phospholipids in prokaryotes and the second most abundant phospholipids in the cell membranes of mammals, plants, and yeast, accounting for about 25% of the total mammalian phospholipids.