Abstract
Recent investigations have demonstrated that cellular and intracellular membranes within the nervous system contain complex associations of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. The myelin sheath contains such complexes derived from the Schwann cell or satellite cell membranes. Similar complexes are found in membranes from grey matter together with less familiar associations between lipids and carbohydrates. Gangliosides are a group of acidic glycolipids which contain among other sugars the sialic acid, N-acetylneuraminic acid. The present state of knowledge on the chemical structure, metabolism, and functional importance of these complex macromolecules is discussed.