Ganglioside induced surface activity and neurite formation of Neuro-2a neuroblastoma cells.

These studies demonstrate that while microtubules are essential for BBG-mediated neurite initiation and elongation, they are not involved in microfilament-dependent ganglioside-mediated surface activity. Microfilaments may be more directly altered by exogenous gangliosides than microtubules since they are the major structural elements of microvilli and are required for neurite branching. Our studies suggest that normal neuritogenesis requires a delicately balanced interaction between various cytoskeletal elements. Since there is a close relationship between membrane-associated lipid molecules and submembranous cytoskeletal elements, the incorporation of gangliosides into membranes may alter this balance and result in neurite formation. The use of gangliosides to enhance neurite production provides a unique model for the study of nerve development. We have shown that bovine brain gangliosides stimulate an immediate sequence of surface-related changes as well as microtubule and microfilament dependent neurite formation in Neuro-2a cells. However, the precise molecular events by which gangliosides enhance neuritogenesis await further study.