Formation of tritium-labeled polysialylated gangliosides in the cytosol of rat cerebellar granule cells in culture following administration of [3H]GM1 ganglioside.

GM1 ganglioside tritium-labeled at C-3 of sphingosine has been administered to rat cerebellar granule cells. Tritiated polysialylated gangliosides were observed in the cytosol of the cells, where they resulted in a higher amount after a short period of chase. This, together with the data showing an increase of the tritiated polysialylated gangliosides in the total particulate fraction in parallel to the prolonging of the chase period, suggests that cytosolic gangliosides could be a way of transporting neosynthesized gangliosides from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membranes.