What is the Difference Between Cerebrosides and Gangliosides

The main difference between cerebrosides and gangliosides is that cerebrosides contain a simple sugar linked to ceramide, whereas gangliosides contain a number of sugar groups and sialic acid attached to ceramide.

Cerebrosides and gangliosides are two glycosphingolipid types. Glycosphingolipids are a type of glycolipids that occur on the cell membrane.  

Key Areas Covered

1. What are Cerebrosides
– Definition, Facts, Importance
2. What is Gangliosides
– Definition, Facts, Importance
3. Similarities Between Cerebrosides and Gangliosides
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Cerebrosides and Gangliosides
– Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Cerebrosides, Gangliosides

What are Cerebrosides

Cerebrosides are a type of glycosphingolipids. Their structure contains a ceramide backbone with a neutral monosaccharide ‘head’ group, such as glucose or galactose. Also, one fatty acid links to ceramide. Also, cerebrosides are present in bacteria, animals, plants, and fungi. They occur in the nerve and muscle tissues of animals. Cerebrosides form diglycosylceramides, which contain more than two sugars in the head group.

Figure 1: Cerebroside

Furthermore, the fundamental structural component of the cerebrosides is ceramide. It contains glycosidically bound monoglycosyl and oligoglycosylceramides. They bind to the terminal OH group of the ceremide. The main long-chain base in the cerebrosides is sphingosine. The principal glycosphingolipid in the brain is the cerebroside.

What are Gangliosides

Gangliosides are glycosphingolipids that contain sialic acid. The structure of the ganglioside contains glycan and lipid portions. The types of sialic acids in the gangliosides include N-acetylneuraminic acid, N-glycolylneuraminic acid, etc. Also, one, two, or several sialic acid molecules may attach to the core of the ganglioside. For example, GM1 contains one sialic acid molecule attached to the core of the ganglioside. Elongation is an additional modification of the core structure of the ganglioside.

Figure 2: Gangliosides

Moreover, heterogeneity does not occur in the glycan part but occurs in the ceramide part. It forms different sphingoid bases, such as sphinganine, sphingosine, and phytosphingosine, in different chain lengths. Mostly, ganglio, gala, lacto, and neolacto series of gangliosides occur in mammals. However, gangliosides are not present in invertebrates.

Similarities Between Cerebrosides and Gangliosides

• Cerebrosides and gangliosides are two glycosphingolipid types that occur in the cell membrane.
• They are a type of glycolipids.
• They contain glycosidically bound carbohydrate parts attached to a hydrophobic ceramide part.
• Also, they are important in cell adhesion or cell-cell interactions.

Difference Between Cerebrosides and Gangliosides

Definition

Cerebrosides refer to glycosphingolipids found in the cell membranes of the neurons and the muscle cells. In contrast, gangliosides refer to any of a group of complex lipids that are present in the grey matter of the human brain.

Type

Cerebrosides are simple glycosphingolipids with a single sugar linked to ceramide, while gangliosides are complex glycosphingolipids with a number of sugar groups linked to ceramide.  

Charge

Cerebrosides are neutral glycosphingolipids, while gangliosides have a net negative charge at pH 7.0.

Occurrence

Cerebrosides occur in the white matter of the brain and nerve myelin sheaths, while gangliosides occur in gray matter and nerve endings.   

Function

Cerebrosides serve as the principal glycosphingolipids in the brain, while gangliosides involve in molecular recognition, cell signaling, cell communication, and modulation of membrane proteins and ion channels.

Examples

Cerebrosides include galactosylceramide, while gangliosides include GM1, GM2, and GM3.

Conclusion

In brief, cerebrosides and gangliosides are two glycosphingolipids that occur in the cell membrane. Cerebrosides are simple glycosphingolipids that contain a single sugar linked to ceramide. They are neutral glycosphingolipids as well. Also, they occur in the white matter of the brain serving as the principal glycosphingolipids in the brain. In comparison, gangliosides are complex glycosphingolipids with a number of sugar groups linked to ceramide. They have a net negative charge. They occur in the gray matter of the brain. Their functions include molecular recognition, cell signaling, cell communication, and modulation of membrane proteins. Therefore, the main difference between cerebrosides and gangliosides is their structure, occurrence, and function.

References:

1. Cerebrosides analysis – lipid analysis. Lipotype GmbH. (2023, February 7). 
2. Kolter T. Ganglioside biochemistry. ISRN Biochem. 2012 Dec 19;2012:506160. doi: 10.5402/2012/506160. PMID: 25969757; PMCID: PMC4393008.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Cerebroside” By Epithelyann – Own Work (CC-BY SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “GM1 ganglioside” By Edgar181 – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia