[44] Gangliosides that modulate membrane protein function

This chapter discusses the effect of gangliosides on cell growth and the associated modulatory effects of gangliosides on receptor-associated tyrosine kinase, protein kinase C, and other kinases. The effect of gangliosides as differentiation inducers for hematopoietic cells is also described in the chapter. The chapter discusses the differentiation induction by gangliosides of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line I-IL60 cells into monocytes/macrophages or neutrophilic mature granulocytes. Results from these experimental systems have been interpreted to suggest that gangliosides by themselves may transduce signals stimulating or inhibiting cell growth, or may modulate cell growth through influencing the function of receptors, transducers, or transporters that are essential for cell growth regulation.