Ganglioside GD3 is synthesized by the addition of two sialic acid residues to lactosylceramide and can serve as a precursor to the formation of more complex gangliosides by the action of glycosyl- and sialyltransferases. It induces apoptosis in HuT-78 cutaneous T cell lymphoma cells in a concentration-dependent manner and disrupts the mitochondrial membrane potential when used at a concentration of 200 μM. Expression of ganglioside GD3 in GD3-negative SK-MEL-28-N1 malignant melanoma cells increases both cell proliferation and invasion in vitro. Ganglioside GD3-deficient adult mice exhibit progressive loss of the neural stem cell (NSC) pool and impaired neurogenesis. Ganglioside GD3 mixture contains ganglioside GD3 molecular species with C18:1 and C20:1 sphingoid backbones.