Glycosphingolipids in the Central Nervous System: Diversity in Structure, Metabolism, Distribution, and Function comprehensively covers progress made in the discovery, profiling and understanding of the metabolism, function and functional mechanism of GSLs in the CNS –as well as their synthesis, relationships with and therapeutic applications to neurodegenerative disorders, and related CNS diseases. Due to the important roles of GSLs in the CNS and various CNS-related diseases, the interest in these biomolecules is growing. GSLs are the principal glycolipids on the cell surface and an essential constituent of the cell membrane. They are widespread, but especially enriched in the central nervous system (CNS) in vertebrates. The diversity of GSL structures forges the molecular foundation for their broad spectrum of activity. Presents a systematic review of literature and potential future developments in Glycosphingolipid research Highlights interdisciplinary interplay between various aspects of the neuronal system and its structural and functional properties Provides an overview, general trends, cases studies, summaries and future implications

A thorough introduction is provided to the variety and complexity of the roles that glycoconjugates play in the cells of the nervous system. Basic information as well as the latest developments in neural glycobiology are discussed. Topics covered range from the structure and metabolism of the saccharide chains and current approaches used in their study, to changes glycoconjugates undergo during development and aging of the nervous system and the roles they have in neurological disease. The breadth and depth of topics covered make it an essential reference for those new to the field as well more seasoned investigators.

Carbohydrates play a major role in brain function. In the past decade, tremendous progress has been made in understanding their structure and function within the nervous system. This book presents a state of the art account of this rapidly expanding field.

Sugar chains (glycans) are often attached to proteins and lipids and have multiple roles in the organization and function of all organisms. "Essentials of Glycobiology" describes their biogenesis and function and offers a useful gateway to the understanding of glycans.

The NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Gangliosides and Modu lation of Neuronal Functions" was held at the University of Stutt gart-Hohenheim, Federal Republic of Germany, on October 20 - 24, 1986. About 70 participants from 10 countries presented papers on a wide range of topics all concerning the ganglioside theme. The content of the workshop consisted of the following chap ters: (1) Fundamentals for research on function of gangliosides; (2) Brain ganglioside metabolism; (3) Cell specific distribution and differentiation-related ex pression of brain gangliosides; (4) Gangliosides and neuronal plasticity; (5) Bio-medical potential of exogenous ganglioside application on neuronal function; and (6) Critical assessments on aspects of ganglioside therapy. The aim of the workshop was to sum up and discuss the present knowledge in the respective fields. Despite intensive research on gangliosides ever since Ernst Klenk discovered them in 1936, the biological function of. these amphiphilic, "sphinx-like" glycosphingo lipids remains elusive. Over the past few years, several thousands of articles on gangliosides have been published demonstrating very special properties of these glycolipids and their possible in volvement in diverse biological phenomena. As far as we know up to the present time, these properties may be due to particular physico-chemical attributes of these compounds, especially in com bination with calcium. The results obtained so far have shed light not only on pos sible functional roles of gangliosides with regard to cellular induction and organization, but have also unexpectedly opened up VI a whole new field of therapeutic applications for these compounds.

This revised and renamed volume reflects a number of important changes in content and emphasis since this field was first surveyed in Complex carbohydrates of nervous tissue in 1979. A third of the chapters did not appear in the predecessor volume, and more than half have new authors. In this expand