Jf. Bouhours et D. Bouhours, BIOCHEMICAL-CHARACTERIZATION OF BLOOD GROUP-ACTIVE GLYCOSPHINGOLIPIDS, Transfusion clinique et biologique, 2(4), 1995, pp. 223-233
Glycosphingolipids are quantitatively minor components of cell lipids.
However, their segregation in the outer leaflet of the plasma membran
e confers to these membranes specific structural and immunological pro
perties. Current methods of extraction, purification and analysis of b
lood cell glycolipids are presented. Valuable structural data may be o
btained by a combination of chemical and enzymatic degradations with t
hin-layer chromatography and immunological detection by monoclonal ant
ibodies of known specificity. Examples of physical characterization by
Mass Spectrometry and Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy are also
presented.