Sialic acids in T cell development and function.
Virtually all cell surface proteins and many cell membrane lipids are glycosylated, creating a cell surface glycocalyx. The glycan chains attached to cell surface glycoproteins and glycolipids are complex structures with specific additions that determine functions of the glycans in cell-cell communication and cell sensing of the environment. One type of specific modification of cell surface glycans is decoration of glycan termini by sialic acids. On T cells, these terminal sialic acid residues are involved in almost every aspect of T cell fate and function, from cell maturation, differentiation, and migration to cell survival and cell death. The roles that sialylated glycans play in T cell development and function, including binding to specific sialic acid-binding lectins, are reviewed here.
Bi
Shuguang
S
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, 10833 LeConte Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Baum
Linda G
LG
D000818:Animals; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D011134:Polysaccharides; D012794:Sialic Acids