Ganglioside GQ1b tetrasodium salt (bovine brain) has been shown to specifically promote neural differentiation of human neuroblastoma cells. Research has found that the total ganglioside fraction from human brain had two remarkable effects on GOTO and NB-1 neuroblastoma cell lines, which are similar to those of nerve growth factor (NGF): (1) an increase in the cell number, and (2) an increase in the neurite number and the total length of neurites. This particular ganglioside was shown to completely replace the effector function not only qualitatively but also quantitatively, indicating the participation of gangliosides in such neuromodulatory functions.