MAG and neuropathy: As GD3 does not bind to myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), a key mediator of myelin stability, and GM3 binds poorly to myelin-associated glycoprotein (Collins et al., 1997), these mice have defective axon:myelin stability leading to progressive neuropathy, similar to that seen in MAG-deficient mice (Sun et al., 2004).