Fleeting sugar pairs may help curb abnormal cell-growth signals

Phys.org reports that scientists have identified complex sugar chains, known as glycans, attached to membrane lipids such as gangliosides and to many membrane proteins. While the plasma membrane has long been viewed as a barrier and scaffold made of proteins and lipids, this new work highlights glycans as an overlooked component that can influence cellular signaling. The researchers suggest that these fleeting sugar interactions may help curb abnormal cell‑growth signals, pointing to a possible route for future investigation. Further studies will be needed to see how manipulating these glycans could affect disease processes.

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