Sugar chains (glycans) are often attached to proteins and lipids and have multiple roles in the organization and function of all organisms. "Essentials of Glycobiology" describes their biogenesis and function and offers a useful gateway to the understanding of glycans.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Glycosaminoglycans and Proteoglycans" that was published in Pharmaceuticals

Glycosaminoglycans are linear, anionic polysaccharides (GAGs) consisting of repeating disaccharides. GAGs are ubiquitously localized throughout the extracellular matrix (ECM) and to the cell membranes of cells in all tissues. They are either conjugated to protein cores in the form of proteoglycans, e.g., chondroitin/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS), heparin/heparan sulfate (Hep/HS) and keratan sulfate (KS), as well as non-sulfated hyaluronan (HA). By modulating biological signaling GAGs participate in the regulation of homeostasis and also participate in disease progression. The book, entitled “Exploring the multifaceted roles of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)--new advances and further challenges”, features original research and review articles. These articles cover several GAG-related timely topics in structural biology and imaging; morphogenesis, cancer, and other disease therapy and drug developments; tissue engineering; and metabolic engineering. This book also includes an article illustrating how metabolic engineering can be used to create the novel chondroitin-like polysaccharide.A prerequisite for communicating in any discipline and across disciplines is familiarity with the appropriate terminology. Several nomenclature rules exist in the field of biochemistry. The historical description of GAGs follows IUPAC and IUB nomenclature. New structural depictions such as the structural nomenclature for glycan and their translation into machine-readable formats have opened the route for cross-references with popular bioinformatics resources and further connections with other exciting “omics” fields.

Although glycoproteins and proteoglycans have been a subject of re search for many years, it is only during the last five or so years that they have aroused the interest of a very broad cross section of investigators in the biological sciences. The reason for this expanded interest in these molecules is simple: not only are glycoproteins and proteoglycans ubiq uitous, but many are molecules with well-defined and important biological functions. The list of molecules that fall into this category grows daily; interferon, immunoglobulins, certain hormones, many cell surface recep tors, and viral coat proteins are but a few examples. Thus, investigators with interests as diverse as viral replication. cell-cell interactions. poly isoprenoid synthesis, secretory processes, hormone responses, embryonic development, and immunology have become concerned with glycopro teins and proteoglycans. The objective of this book is to summarize the current state of knowledge on the biochemistry of these molecules. Coverage is by no means encyclopedic; rather the thrust is to emphasize the recent ad vances. The first chapter deals primarily with structural work on the oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins, but it will be apparent in it and in the succeeding two chapters on biosynthesis that not only do structural studies aid biosynthetic investigations, but that studies on biosynthesis often playa major role in elucidation of structure.

This book covers the latest research development in heart valve biomechanics and bioengineering, with an emphasis on novel experimentation, computational simulation, and applications in heart valve bioengineering. The most current research accomplishments are covered in detail, including novel concepts in valvular viscoelasticity, fibril/molecular mechanisms of tissue behavior, fibril kinematics-based constitutive models, mechano-interaction of valvular interstitial and endothelial cells, biomechanical behavior of acellular valves and tissue engineered valves, novel bioreactor designs, biomechanics of transcatheter valves, and 3D heart valve printing. This is an ideal book for biomedical engineers, biomechanics, surgeons, clinicians, business managers in the biomedical industry, graduate and undergraduate students studying biomedical engineering, and medical students.

Proteoglycans are some of the most elaborate macromolecules of mammalian and lower organisms. The covalent attachment of at least five types of glycosami- glycan side chains to more than forty individual protein cores makes these molecules quite complex and endows them with a multitude of biological functions. Proteoglycan Protocols offers a comprehensive and up-to-date collection of prepa- tive and analytical methods for the in-depth analysis of proteoglycans. Featuring st- by-step detailed protocols, this book will enable both novice and experienced researchers to isolate intact proteoglycans from tissues and cultured cells, to establish the composition of their carbohydrate moieties, to generate strategies for prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression, to utilize methods for the suppression of specific proteoglycan gene expression and for the detection of mutant cells and degradation products, and to study specific interactions between proteoglycans and extracellular matrix proteins as well as growth factors and their receptors. The readers will find concise, yet comprehensive techniques carefully drafted by leading experts in the field. Each chapter commences with a general Introduction, followed by a detailed Materials section, and an easy-to-follow Methods section. An asset of each chapter is the extensive notation that includes troubleshooting tips and practical considerations that are often lacking in formal methodology papers. The reader will find this section most valuable because it is clearly provided by experienced scientists who have first-hand knowledge of the techniques they outline. In addition, most of the chapters are well illustrated with examples of typical data generated with each method.

Glycans play a vital role in modulating protein structure and function from involvement in protein folding, solubility and stability to regulation of tissue distribution, recognition specificity, and biological activity. They can act as both positive and negative regulators of protein function, providing an additional level of control with respect to genetic and environmental conditions. Due to the complexity of glycosylated protein forms, elucidating structural and functional information has been challenging task for researchers but recent development of chemical biology-based tools and techniques is bridging these knowledge gaps. This book provides a thorough review of the current state of glycoprotein chemical biology, describing the development and application of glycoprotein and glycan synthesis technologies for understanding and manipulating protein glycosylation.

Biological Soft Matter Explore a comprehensive, one-stop reference on biological soft matter written and edited by leading voices in the field Biological Soft Matter: Fundamentals, Properties and Applications delivers a unique and indispensable compilation of up-to-date knowledge and material on biological soft matter. The book presents a thorough overview about biological soft matter, beginning with different substance classes, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides. It goes on to describe a variety of superstructures and aggregated and how they are formed by self-assembly processes like protein folding or crystallization. The distinguished editors have included materials with a special emphasis on macromolecular assembly, including how it applies to lipid membranes, and proteins fibrillization. Biological Soft Matter is a crucial resource for anyone working in the field, compiling information about all important substance classes and their respective roles in forming superstructures. The book is ideal for beginners and experts alike and makes the perfect guide for chemists, physicists, and life scientists with an interest in the area. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: An introduction to DNA nano-engineering and DNA-driven nanoparticle assembly Explorations of polysaccharides and glycoproteins, engineered biopolymers, and engineered hydrogels Discussions of macromolecular assemblies, including liquid membranes and small molecule inhibitors for amyloid aggregation A treatment of inorganic nanomaterials as promoters and inhibitors of amyloid fibril formation An examination of a wide variety of natural and artificial polymers Perfect for materials scientists, biochemists, polymer chemists, and protein chemists, Biological Soft Matter: Fundamentals, Properties and Applications will also earn a place in the libraries of biophysicists and physical chemists seeking a one-stop reference summarizing the rapidly evolving topic of biological soft matter.