Gels saccharide-sensitive

Certain other saccharides, to which ionizable groups such as -NH2, COOH and 0P(=0) (OH)2 have been bound chemically are also currently available. Various lectins have been isolated and characterized in terms of their interaction with saccharides. Therefore, different combinations of saccharide-lectin systems are available for designing saccharide-sensitive gels. More generally, to design a gel that undergoes a discontinuous volume transition in response to a molecular stimulus may be achieved by embedding into the gel an active element that interferes with gel equilibrium in response to the presence of stimulus molecules. 

Kokufuta E, Zhang Y-Q, Tanaka T. Saccharide-sensitive phase transition of a lectin-loaded gel. Nature 1991 351 302-304. 

---