Chemistry of glycosphingolipids-carbohydrate molecules of biological significance

The chemistry for the synthesis of glycosphingolipids has been greatly adva nced in the last two decades, and now almost any compound of any structural complexity can be prepared. The methodology is based on the development of efficient glycoside bond formation strategies in order to obtain the oligo saccharide moiety, on the synthesis of useful sphingosine intermediates, an d finally on their successful ligation in order to provide neutral as well as acidic glycosphingolipids (i.e. gangliosides). Also enzymatic approaches towards this goal have been investigated. Recent conformational and biolog ical studies exhibit a rapidly growing understanding of the physical proper ties and the importance of glycosphingolipids which is essentially based on the great synthetic achievements discussed in this review.