Detection and resolution of gangliosides in lipid extracts by thin-layer chromatography

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Abstract
Crude lipid extracts of brain and other tissues have been chromatographed on thin layers of silica gel. A resorcinol-hydrochloric acid detection spray, highly specific for neuraminic acid, revealed complex patterns in neural tissues, spleen and kidney. Comparison of patterns from tissue extracts with those obtained from purified ox cerebral cortex-ganglioside preparations supported the tentative identification of eight of the bands as ganglioside. All procedures used were of a relatively mild nature and it was therefore likely that each of the bands isolated was a molecular species of ganglioside. The pattern was a highly constant one and it is suggested that all the species exist in vivo in close combination. A distinctly anomalous quantitative distribution of pattern components was observed only in retina.