Glycosphingolipids are the major class of glycolipids found on all vertebrate cells. On nerve cells, they decorate the surface to provide cellular function and diversity. When the metabolism of these molecules goes awry, illnesses such as Tay-Sachs disease are the result. In the July 15 issue of Analytical Chemistry (pp 5139-5142), Norman Dovichi at the University of Washington, Ronald Schnaar at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Ole Hindsgaul and Monica Palcic at Carls-berg Laboratory (Denmark), and colleagues describe a method to trace the metabolism of glycosphingolipids in individual cells. The technique is sensitive enough to detect low-zeptomole levels of metabolites.
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