Structurally, the plasmalogens resemble phosphadidyl ethanolamine but posses an ether link of the 1 carbon instead of the normal ester link found in triglycerides.Typically, the alkyl radical is an unsaturated alcohol. In some instances, choline, serine, or inositol may be substituted for ethanolamine.

Plasmalogens occur in brain and muscle. These compounds yield upon hydrollysis one molecule of an aliphatic aldehyde, fatty acid, glycerol phosphate and a nitrogenous base.These compounds constitute as much as 10 % of the phospholipids of brain and muscle.