Gangliosides

Chemical structure of GM2 ganglioside (associated with Tay-Sachs gangliosidosis)[1]
  • It belongs to the group of glycosphingolipids.
  • They are characterized by the presence of sialic acids (acylated neuraminic acids).
  • The presence of various fatty acids and sphingosine base.
  • Compared to other glycosphingolipids, they have a different spectrum of fatty acids (stearic acid 90%).
  • They contain carbohydrate units (cause higher solubility in water).
  • Occurrence in brain tissue.
Chemical structure of GM1 ganglioside (monosialo-tetrahexo-sylganglioside)

Division according to the number of sialic acids:

  • Monosialogangliosides.
  • Disialogangliosides.
  • Trisialogangliosides.
  • Tetrasialogangliosides.
    Chemical structure of GD2 ganglioside (diganglioside)


Used literature

  • MATOUŠ, Bohuslav. Základy lekárskej chemie a biochemie. 2010. edition. Galen, 2010. 509 pp. ISBN 978-80-7262-702-8.

References

  1. ↑ WIKIPEDIA,. GM2_(ganglioside) [online]. The last revision 2008-04-28, [cit. 2011-08-21]. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM2_(ganglioside)>.