CHARACTERIZATION OF GLYCOSPHINGOLIPIDS BY FABMS.

The growing interest in the diverse biological functions of cell membrane glycosphingolipids (GSL's) as cell surface antigens, cell-cell recognition sites, and receptors for a variety of signal molecules has prompted the constant search for new procedures for their structural analysis. Mass spectrometry, because of its high sensitivity and speed, has always figured prominently in this regard. This paper presents detailed systematic analysis of a number of GSL's of increasing complexity and their ceramides, using FAB mass spectrometry. High resolution measurements and linked scans are used to confirm fragmentations. Matrix requirements and homologous mixture analysis are also discussed.