Phylogeny and Ontogeny of Vertebrate Brain Gangliosides

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
As methodological improvements disclose an increasingly complex array of gangliosides in all brain tissues examined, the quest for meaningful generalizations about the biological functions and biomedical potential of these compounds becomes more formidable. A useful starting point, however, is the observation that ganglioside patterns vary phylogenetically and are developmentally regulated, thus the particular pattern of gangliosides found in the nervous system of any vertebrate is dependent on both the evolutionary history and developmental state of that animal. The aim of this chapter is to briefly summarize what is known about phylogenetic variations and developmental changes in vertebrate brain gangliosides, to explore the relationships between ganglioside phylogeny and ontogeny, and to discuss the implications of this perspective on possible biological roles for gangliosides in neural tissue.