[Progress in the research of ganglioside's biological activities]

Gangliosides (GS), a series of glycosphingolipids with sialic acids, are widespread in the cell membrane of tissues of the vertebrates, especially enriched in the brain of fetus and neonatal brains, therefore it's believed that GS may be associated with the neuronal differentiation, dendritogenesis and synapse formation. Earlier study had confirmed that GS could promote the regeneration of the nervous system and the synapse formation. With the development of the synthesis and molecular biological technique, researchers have found that GS are not only related to the development of neurons system and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, but also to the process of tumor invasion, which have attracted much attention in recent years. Intensive studies have been conducted on ganglioside concerning its chemical structure, pharmacological features and clinical application. This review summarizes the development of ganglioside's biological activities in recent ten years, including the research finding in our laboratory.