作为生物学和医学领域的科学家，您擅长英语和简化汉语。将以下段落精确地翻译成简化中文，符合学术论文的语言模式并保持原句的结构。 神经节苷脂是广义糖脂类家族的一部分，由一个与唾液酸碳水化合物链结合的鞘脂和位于细胞膜的部分形成。神经节苷脂通过糖基化和唾液酸化的连续步骤来产生。神经节苷脂的多样性组成反映在不同的表达模式和功能上。神经节苷脂GD2指代了基本结构中含有三个碳水化合物残基和两个唾液酸的不同亚种。GD2的表达通常限制在有限的组织中，在神经外胚层源性肿瘤中常常发生改变。尽管GD2具有明显的兴趣，其糖脂性质使得研究具有挑战性。生理上的GD2表达与发育过程有关。在通过这个阶段后，GD2在中枢神经系统中主要生理表达的不同水平会影响与表面受体信号传导有关的膜微区域的构成和形成。在癌症中过表达的GD2已被证明可以增强细胞存活和侵袭能力。此外，抗体的结合会导致免疫独立的细胞死亡机制。此外，GD2会导致T细胞功能障碍，并起到免疫检查点的功能。鉴于与癌症相关的功能，GD2已成为免疫疗法的研究热点。作为潜在的生物标志物，正在开发用于定量测定患者样本中的GD2的方法。此外，正在测试各种治疗策略。基于抗体的初步成功，已经开发出双特异性抗体和免疫细胞因子等衍生物，以调动患者的免疫系统。根据抗GD2抗体，可重新定向细胞毒效应物或有效荷基负载。最后，疫苗可以用于患者引发免疫反应。我们在本文中回顾了有关GD2的相关生物信息，这些信息对优化当前的免疫治疗策略可能有用。版权所有©2023 Machy、Mortier和Birklé。

Part of the broader glycosphingolipid family, gangliosides are composed of a ceramide bound to a sialic acid-containing glycan chain, and locate at the plasma membrane. Gangliosides are produced through sequential steps of glycosylation and sialylation. This diversity of composition is reflected in differences in expression patterns and functions of the various gangliosides. Ganglioside GD2 designates different subspecies following a basic structure containing three carbohydrate residues and two sialic acids. GD2 expression, usually restrained to limited tissues, is frequently altered in various neuroectoderm-derived cancers. While GD2 is of evident interest, its glycolipid nature has rendered research challenging. Physiological GD2 expression has been linked to developmental processes. Passing this stage, varying levels of GD2, physiologically expressed mainly in the central nervous system, affect composition and formation of membrane microdomains involved in surface receptor signaling. Overexpressed in cancer, GD2 has been shown to enhance cell survival and invasion. Furthermore, binding of antibodies leads to immune-independent cell death mechanisms. In addition, GD2 contributes to T-cell dysfunction, and functions as an immune checkpoint. Given the cancer-associated functions, GD2 has been a source of interest for immunotherapy. As a potential biomarker, methods are being developed to quantify GD2 from patients' samples. In addition, various therapeutic strategies are tested. Based on initial success with antibodies, derivates such as bispecific antibodies and immunocytokines have been developed, engaging patient immune system. Cytotoxic effectors or payloads may be redirected based on anti-GD2 antibodies. Finally, vaccines can be used to mount an immune response in patients. We review here the pertinent biological information on GD2 which may be of use for optimizing current immunotherapeutic strategies.Copyright © 2023 Machy, Mortier and Birklé.