Phylogenetic conservation of ganglioside GD3 expression during early vertebrate ontogeny

Gangliosides were investigated in adult brains and in 5-vesicle stage embryos of representatives belonging to the four vertebrate classes: Chondrichthyes, Amphibia, Aves and Mammalia. Considerable variability in brain ganglioside composition and concentration was observed among the adult vertebrates. The ganglioside patterns of the developmentally matched vertebrate embryos were similar in that each comprised GD3 as the predominant ganglioside. The phylogenetic conservation of abundant GD3 expression during early vertebrate ontogeny is interpreted as biochemical evidence consistent with von Baer's theory of increasing differentiation and suggests that GD3 is of critical importance for normal vertebrate development.