Mammalian glycosylation in immunity.
Glycosylation produces a diverse and abundant repertoire of glycans, which are collectively known as the glycome. Glycans are one of the four fundamental macromolecular components of all cells, and are highly regulated in the immune system. Their diversity reflects their multiple biological functions that encompass ligands for proteinaceous receptors known as lectins. Since the discovery that selectins and their glycan ligands are important for the regulation of leukocyte trafficking, it has been shown that additional features of the vertebrate immune system are also controlled by endogenous cellular glycosylation. This Review focuses on the emerging immunological roles of the mammalian glycome.
Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA. jmarth@ucsd.edu
Jamey D
JD
Marth
Prabhjit K
PK
Grewal
D000818:Animals; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D011134:Polysaccharides