Gangliosides

Gangliosides are acidic glycosphingolipids that contribute a substantial presence to the outer leaflet of the cell plasma membrane. This is especially apparent in neuronal cells of the central nervous system where they have vital roles as neurotransmitters and cellular regulators. They participate in cellular proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, signal transduction, cell-to-cell interactions, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. Gangliosides have been implicated in numerous types of cancer where they are often over-expressed on the membrane surface.