title: Recent advances in the study of the biosynthesis and functions of sulfated glycosaminoglycans.
abstract: Recent cDNA cloning of the glycosyltransferases involved in the synthesis of the sulfated glycosaminoglycan sidechains of proteoglycans has provided important clues to answering long-standing questions concerning the mechanisms of both chain polymerization and the biosynthetic sorting of glucosaminoglycans (heparin/heparan sulfate) and galactosaminoglycans (chondroitin/dermatan sulfate). These biosynthetic mechanisms are crucial to the expression and regulation of the biological functions of glycosaminoglycans in development and pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Kobe Pharmaceutical University, Department of Biochemistry, Higashinada-ku, 658-8558, Kobe, Japan. k-sugar@kobepharma-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugahara
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
mesh_terms: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D011506:Proteins; D013431:Sulfates