Microheterogeneity carbohydrate chains

The data presented here demonstrate that lectins may be used to explore structural aspects of the carbohydrate moieties of specific cell surface bound antigens. Furthermore, it is suggested that the H-2D antigen possesses differences in the structure of the carbohydrate moieties which may reflect microheterogeneity due to the biosynthesis of only partial structures, differences in the number of sialic acid residues, the relationship of the carbohydrate chains to the specific antigenic determinants and/or major structural differences of the carbohydrate chains on different H—2D antigens. 

Carbohydrate-chain mapping/microheterogeneity pattern in case of glycoproteins... 

The previously-stated existence of four carbohydrate chains in dog prothrombin has been challenged. Although four glycopeptides have been isolated by use of a combination of gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography, it is proposed that the differences are due to microheterogeneity of the glycoprotein. 

In conclusion, the characteristics of the carbohydrate moieties of transferrins are specific to each of them on the basis of the primary structure of glycans and of their number and position in the peptide chain as demonstrated in Figs. 2 to 4. In addition, each transferrin presents unexplained microheterogeneity. 

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