Selectins: interpreters of cell-specific carbohydrate information during inflammation.
Although a bewildering array of cell surface carbohydrate structures have been described, the physiological relevance of any of these complex molecules has often eluded biologists. A family of cell surface glycoproteins, the "selectins," has a characteristic ability to use some of these carbohydrate structures in adhesive mechanisms that help localize leukocytes to regions of inflammation. This article will review the biology of these carbohydrate-binding adhesive proteins and discuss the potential for developing anti-inflammatory antagonists that could inhibit binding events that are selectin-mediated.
Lasky
L A
LA
Department of Immunology, Genetech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080.
D000818:Animals; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000737:chemistry; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D037102:Lectins / Q000032:analysis; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000502:physiology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
D002241:Carbohydrates; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D037102:Lectins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins