This volume contains the proceedings of the symposium on "Ganglioside Structure, Function and Biomedical Potential" which was held at Parksville, Vancouver Island, B. C. , Canada on July 6-10, 1983. The symposium was organized ao a satellite to the ninth meeting of the International Society for Neurochemistry, held immediately afterward in Vancouver City, B. C. Close to 50 speakers from 9 countries presented papers on a wide range of topics on the ganglioside theme. These encompassed the many aspects of basic research that have evolved over the past half-century, as well as some newer topics relating to the biomedical potential of gangliosides as therapeutic agents. One of the purposes of the meeting was to encourage dialogue between investigators in these seemingly diverse areas in the hope that each would come away with fresh perspective toward his own work. Judging from the many spirited, informed discussions that took place throughout the four­ day meeting, this goal was achieved. The charm and beauty of Vancouver Island undoubtedly contributed to the congenial atmosphere which quickly developed among the 120 or so participants. Drawn from 13 countries of Europe (East and West), America (North and South), Asia and the Middle East, this gathering reflected the broad geographical scale on which ganglioside research is now conducted. That this field is still in its "logarithmic" stage of growth is indicated by the increasing number of citations appearing each year in the various abstracts (e. g. fig. next page).

Plenary Lectures.- Wonders in Glycolipids - A Historical View.- Present Status of the Immunology of Gangliosides.- Use of Cell Cultures in Ganglioside Research.- Structure Analysis and Physical Properties.- Gangliosides: Structure and Analysis.- Structure Analysis of Glycosphingolipids Using Fast Atom Bombardment (FAB) Techniques.- Application of Field Desorption and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry for Glycolipid Analysis.- New Techniques for the Investigation of Structure and Metabolism of Sialic Acids.- Recent Advances in Structural Analysis of Gangliosides: Primary and Secondary Structures.- Adrenal Medulla Gangliosides.- Glycosphingolipids of Equine Erythrocytes Membranes: Complete Characterization of a Fucoganglioside.- Physical Behaviour of Glycolipids in Bilayer Membranes: Distribution and Accessibility.- Distribution and Transport.- Ganglioside Distribution at Different Levels of Organization and its Biological Implications.- The Labeling of the Retina and Optic Tectum Gangliosides and Glycoproteins of Chickens in Darkness or Exposed to Light.- Biosynthesis and Transport of Gangliosides in Peripheral Nerve.- Cellular Localization of Gangliosides in the Mouse Cerebellum: Analysis Using Neurological Mutants.- Gangliosides and Related Compounds as Biological Response Modifiers.- Metabolism.- An Outline of Ganglioside Metabolism.- Activator Proteins for the Catabolism of Glycosphingolipids.- Ganglioside Biosynthesis in Rat Liver Golgi Apparatus: Stimulation by Phophatidylglycerol and Inhibition by Tunicamycin.- Incorporation Rate of GM1 Ganglioside Into Mouse Brain Myelin: Effect of Aging and Modification by Hormones and Other Compounds.- Biosynthesis In Vitro of Gangliosides Containing Gg- and Lc-Cores.- Genetic Regulation of GM2(NeuGc) Expression in Liver ofMouse.- New Approaches in the Study of Ganglioside Metabolism.- Mutants and Development.- Glycosphingolipids of Chicken Skeletal Muscle in Early Development and Genetic Dystrophy.- Ganglioside Alterations in the Genetically-Determined Hypertrophic Neuropathy of the Murine Neurological Mutant Trembler.- Comparative and Developmental Behavior of Alkali Labile Gangliosides in the Brain.- Phylogeny and Ontogeny of Vertebrate Brain Gangliosides.- Receptors and Function.- Ganglioside Receptors: A Brief Overview and Introductory Remarks.- Gangliosides as Modulators of the Coupling of Neurotransmitters to Adenylate Cyclase.- Gangliosides, The Thyrotropin Receptor, and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease.- Specific Gangliosides are Receptors for Sendai Virus.- Gangliosides as Receptor Modulators 381.- Brain Gangliosides and Thermal Adaptation in Vertebrates.- Gangliosides and Neurological Diseases.- Gangliosides and Disease: A Review.- Cerebral and Visceral Organ Gangliosides and Related Glycolipids in GM1-Gangliosidosis Type 1, Type 2 and Chronic Type.- Canine GM2-Gangliosidosis : Chemical and Enzymatic Features.- Immunological Expression of Gangliosides in Multiple Sclerosis and in a Demyelinating Model Disease in Rabbits.- Antibodies to Glycosphingolipids in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis and SLE.- Neuritogenesis and Regeneration.- Neuritogenesis and Regeneration in the Nervous System: An Overview of the Problem and on the Promoting Action of Gangliosides.- Effects of Gangliosides on the Functional Recovery of Damaged Brain.- Exogenous Gangliosides Enhance Recovery From CNS Injury.- Ganglioside Induced Surface Activity and Neurite Formation of Neuro-2A Neuroblastoma Cells.- Effect of Exogenous Gangliosides on the Morphology and Biochemistry of Cultured Neurons.- Studies of Gangliosides in Diverse Nerve Cell Cultures.- In-Vitro and In-Vivo Studies on Gangliosides in the Developing and Regenerating Hippocampus of the Rat.- Biomedical Potential of Gangliosides.- Ganglioside Treatment of Genetic and Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Neuropathy.- Double-Blind Controlled Trial of Purified Brain Gangliosides in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Experience with Peripheral Neuropathies.- Trials of Ganglioside Therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Diabetic Neuropathy.- Treatment of Painful Diabetic Polyneuropathy with Mixed Gangliosides.- Ganglioside (Cronassial) Therapy in Diabetic Neuropathy.- Multicentre Trial on Gangliosides in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.- A Double Blind Placebo Controlled Trial of Mixed Gangliosides in Diabetic Peripheral and Autonomic Neuropathy.- Gangliosides-Clinical Overview.- Participants.- Author Index.