Glycaans

Glycaans, also known as glycans or oligosaccharides, are complex carbohydrates composed of a chain of monosaccharide (simple sugar) units. They are fundamental building blocks found throughout the biological world, playing crucial roles in a vast array of cellular processes. The diversity of glycaans arises from the many different types of monosaccharides that can be linked together, as well as the various ways these linkages can occur, including alpha and beta linkages and different positions on the sugar rings. This structural variability allows for an immense repertoire of glycan structures, each with potentially unique functions.

Glycans are attached to other molecules, such as proteins to form glycoproteins, or lipids to form glycolipids. These glycoconjugates are essential components of cell surfaces, where they are involved in cell-cell recognition, adhesion, and immune responses. For example, the ABO blood groups are determined by specific glycan structures on red blood cells. Inside cells, glycans are involved in protein folding, trafficking, and stability, as well as in signaling pathways. The study of glycans and their functions is known as glycobiology, a rapidly expanding field that seeks to understand the complex roles of these molecules in health and disease. Aberrant glycosylation, meaning abnormal glycan structures, is often associated with various diseases, including cancer and inflammatory disorders, making glycaans potential targets for therapeutic intervention and diagnostic markers.