Sugars, cell surface

Such sugar-dendrimer complexes ( sugar balls ) have been used to inhibit the interactions of viruses with cell surfaces. Many viruses bind to particular carbohydrate residues on cell surfaces, which in turn facilitate their entry into cells and the resultant infection process. A virus particle presents a multi-dentate surface consisting of many carbohydrate-binding proteins able to interact with multiple cell-surface carbohydrates. The surface of a dendrimer that is modified with... 

Add to the washed cells 60 pi of a 5 mM concentration of the phosphine derivative to couple to the azido-sugar groups on the cell surface (e.g., biotin-PEG-phosphine). 

The natural ligand for the amine oxidase activity is not known for certain. While SSAO/VAP-1 will oxidize endogenous molecules such as methylamine and tyramine, the substrates associated with diapedesis are unknown. It has been speculated that leukocyte cell surface lysine residues or amino sugars, such as mannosamine residues (5) known to be associated with cell/cell recognition may be involved [14,15]. 

Carbohydrates related to membranes can be found as lipopolysaccharides or as parts of glycoproteins. Sugars are often characteristic determinants of cell surfaces (see below). The great majority of carbohydrates are found in the outer leaflet of a membrane, resulting in an asymmetrical structure. This is especially true for many plasma membranes and the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacterial cells (see below). 

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