Biomaterial Database

Structure and functions of lectins in the central and peripheral nervous system. 1998

J P Zanetta

Laboratoire de Chimie Biologique USTL, CNRS UMR 111, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. Jean-Pierre.Zanetta@univ-lille1.Fr

There is increasing evidence that lectins are widely distributed in mammalian tissues, including the nervous tissue. Based on histochemical techniques using neoglycoproteins, different lectin activities specific for different monosaccharides or glycans have been identified (fucose, galactose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid and heparin). Most of them showed a cellular specificity and developmental regulation in the central nervous system. Several lectins isolated from the nervous tissue seem to play an essential role during ontogenetic processes, especially as far as cell adhesion and cell recognition mechanisms are concerned (axonal growth and fasciculation, neuron migration, synaptogenesis, myelination). But some of them seem to be involved in signaling events both intracellularly (nuclear lectins) or at the cell surface by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. This review discusses the structure and the identified functions of these important constituents of the nervous tissue.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007150	Immunohistochemistry	Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents.	Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D008358	Mannose	A hexose or fermentable monosaccharide and isomer of glucose from manna, the ash Fraxinus ornus and related plants. (From Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed & Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)	D-Mannose,Mannopyranose,Mannopyranoside,D Mannose
D009419	Nerve Tissue Proteins		Proteins, Nerve Tissue,Tissue Proteins, Nerve
D002448	Cell Adhesion	Adherence of cells to surfaces or to other cells.	Adhesion, Cell,Adhesions, Cell,Cell Adhesions
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D002465	Cell Movement	The movement of cells from one location to another. Distinguish from CYTOKINESIS which is the process of dividing the CYTOPLASM of a cell.	Cell Migration,Locomotion, Cell,Migration, Cell,Motility, Cell,Movement, Cell,Cell Locomotion,Cell Motility,Cell Movements,Movements, Cell
D002490	Central Nervous System	The main information-processing organs of the nervous system, consisting of the brain, spinal cord, and meninges.	Cerebrospinal Axis,Axi, Cerebrospinal,Axis, Cerebrospinal,Central Nervous Systems,Cerebrospinal Axi,Nervous System, Central,Nervous Systems, Central,Systems, Central Nervous
D002531	Cerebellum	The part of brain that lies behind the BRAIN STEM in the posterior base of skull (CRANIAL FOSSA, POSTERIOR). It is also known as the "little brain" with convolutions similar to those of CEREBRAL CORTEX, inner white matter, and deep cerebellar nuclei. Its function is to coordinate voluntary movements, maintain balance, and learn motor skills.	Cerebella,Corpus Cerebelli,Parencephalon,Cerebellums,Parencephalons
D006388	Hemagglutinins	Agents that cause agglutination of red blood cells. They include antibodies, blood group antigens, lectins, autoimmune factors, bacterial, viral, or parasitic blood agglutinins, etc.	Isohemagglutinins,Exohemagglutinins,Hemagglutinin
D006493	Heparin	A highly acidic mucopolysaccharide formed of equal parts of sulfated D-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid with sulfaminic bridges. The molecular weight ranges from six to twenty thousand. Heparin occurs in and is obtained from liver, lung, mast cells, etc., of vertebrates. Its function is unknown, but it is used to prevent blood clotting in vivo and vitro, in the form of many different salts.	Heparinic Acid,alpha-Heparin,Heparin Sodium,Liquaemin,Sodium Heparin,Unfractionated Heparin,Heparin, Sodium,Heparin, Unfractionated,alpha Heparin