This book reviews recent progress in understanding of the signaling and biochemistry of GM3 ganglioside in eukaryotic cells. GM3 is the simplest of the gangliosides and the precursor of other gangliosides. It is expressed in the outer leaflet of plasma cell membranes and has roles in the recognition, interaction, binding, adhesion, and motility of cells. In addition, GM3 has been documented to have functional roles in cell migration, proliferation, senescence, and apoptosis. The full range of topics of interest are addressed in the book. The early chapters discuss the synthesis of GM3, its molecular localization in cells, and its basic function as an interacting molecule. The ways in which GM3 exerts its effects via various growth factor receptors are fully explored. Current knowledge of the part played by GM3 in health and disease is discussed in depth. For example, its roles in preventing inflammation, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth, and suppressing arthritis are highlighted, and attention drawn to the significance of GM3 as a driver of impaired wound healing in diabetics. The book will be of interest to all who want a comprehensive update on research in this field.

This book presents the latest knowledge and the most recent research results on glycosphingolipid (GSL)-mediated signaling. GSLs are important constituents of the plasma membrane that exert their distinct functions through binding to certain functional proteins. They play a role in various human diseases and also function as human alloantigens. Cellular GSLs are associated with many biological functions such as cellular oncotransformation, phenotype change, neuronal or embryonic development, regulation of cell division, cell–cell interaction, cell attachment, adhesion, and motility, and intracellular signaling via protein–carbohydrate or carbohydrate–carbohydrate interactions. This book opens by providing the key background on GSL glycan–receptor interactions and mammalian GSL synthesis. Up-to-date information is then presented on all aspects of GSL-dependent signaling. Viral protein and bacterial toxin protein interactions with host cell GSLs are examined in depth, and the concluding chapter is devoted to signaling regulation. The book should assist in the further development of new strategies against emerging infectious agents and intractable diseases.

The so-called postgenomic research era has now been launched, and the field of gly cobiology and glycotechnology has become one of the most important areas in life science because glycosylation is the most common post-translational modification reaction of proteins in vivo. On the basis of Swiss-Prot data, over 50% proteins are known to undergo glycosylation, but in fact the actual functions of most of the sugar chains in the glycoconjugates remain unknown. The complex carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins, glycolipids, and proteoglycans represent the secondary gene products formed through the reactions of glycosyl transferases. The regulation of the biosynthesis of sugar chains is under the control of the expression of glycosyltransferases, their substrate specificity, and their local ization in specific tissue sites. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that these enzymes play pivotal roles in a variety of important cellular differentiation and developmental events, as well as in disease processes. Over 300 glycosyltransferases appear to exist in mammalian tissues. If the genes that have been purified and cloned from various species such as humans, cattle, pigs, rats and mice are counted as one, approximately 110 glycogenes that encode glycosyltransferases and related genes have been cloned at present, and this number continues to grow each day. However, most of the functions of the glycosyltransferase genes and related genes are unknown. This fact has stimulated numerous new and interesting approaches in molecular biologi cal investigations.

Abraham Rosenberg assembles the groundbreaking work of preeminent international scientists to provide the most current, state-of-the-art presentation of research in siabiology. This concise volume examines the historical development of the field and reviews current knowledge on the genetic, immunologic, oncologic, neurodevelopmental, pathogenic, and cell regulatory properties of sialic acid. Outstanding features of this work include exhaustive reference material and detailed information tables.

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.

Glycobiology is an emerging field of studying glycans (sugars) and glycoconjugates that are essentially involved in almost all biological processes, from fine-tuning glycoprotein function to protein-protein interactions, signaling, immune response, host-pathogen interactions, etc. However, due to structural complexity of glycans and analytical challenges this exciting field was lagging behind other areas of biology. With technological advancements growing number of glycans’ functions are being discovered and the study of glycans is becoming a cutting-edge discipline in basic and clinical research. Despite recent developments in glycobiology field, many aspects of glycosylation process still remain unknown, both in a healthy human organism and in pathological states. Human glycome is dynamic and changes with physiological triggers, immune challenges and disease. Atypical glycosylation is consequently a subject of disease biomarker research, and a target for therapeutic interventions. On the other hand, properties of glycosylated biotherapeutics are predominantly determined by their glycans. The Role of Glycosylation in Health and Disease provides a comprehensive overview of types and functions of glycans in a healthy human organism as well as their role in pathophysiology of different diseases and efficiency of glycosylated biotherapeutics. Written by the experts in the field, this book aims to bring glycobiology field closer to students, researchers in life sciences and professionals in biopharmaceutical industry.

Gangliosides in Health and Disease, Volume 156, presents the latest information on Gangliosides, a class of glycolipids that are found on all vertebrate cell surfaces, and are particularly abundant in the brain. Individual chapters in this new volume cover Gangliosides as Toxin Receptors, Gangliosides in Cancer Cell Signaling, Gangliosides in inflammation and neurodegeneration, Gangliosides as functional galectin receptors, Gangliosides in signal transduction, Gangliosides in brain tumor immunology, and Gangliosides in axon regeneration and stability, amongst other related topics. This book brings together world experts in ganglioside structure and function who have been assembled to contribute to this thorough update of the field. - Contains accessible content that is ideal for students and researchers alike - Written by leading authorities in the field

This book presents the latest knowledge and the most recent research results in the field of ganglioside biochemistry. The early chapters cover all relevant background on sialic acids and their biosynthesis, on N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), which cannot be synthesized by humans, and on general aspects of ganglioside research. Ganglioside adsorption, disorders of ganglioside degradation, and the regulation of gangliosides are thoroughly discussed. A major focus of the book is the role of gangliosides in cancer. Here, the discussion encompasses, for example, the biological importance, antigenicity, and immunological actions of tumor-associated gangliosides (TAGs), the significance of different glycolipids and gangliosides as TAGs, and emerging anti-cancer vaccine strategies. The ability of sialic acids and TAGs of tumor cells to escape immunosurveillance and immunoediting also receives detailed attention. The significance of sialic acids in regulation of the complement system is explained, and the closing chapter focuses especially on the role of sialyl T antigen in cancer. The book will be of value for all who are interested in functional glycobiology and glycomic studies.

This book presents the latest breakthrough results in glycobiology regarding the roles of glycans in relation to quality control and transport of protein, the immune system, viral infection, stem cells, the neural system, and various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscular dystrophy, and schizophrenia. Although glycoscience has long been regarded as a very specialized field with no simple analytical method, the recent explosive progress in research continues to provide limitless evidence that glycan chains are the key component in various biological phenomena. Cell surface glycans, for example, change with developmental stages or environmental conditions and thus represent a “face” of the cell that is utilized for identification of iPS and ES cells and as biomarkers in diagnosis or detection of cancer. This book comprises 17 chapters, each of which poses outstanding “glyco-related” questions enabling non-specialists to have a clearer idea about what the future direction for further investigation of glycans in their own research fields will be. Also including basic information to understand the nature of glycans, this title serves as an excellent “textbook” for researchers in diverse research fields who are not familiar with, but nevertheless interested in, glycan chains or sugar chains.

The book Recent Advances in the Biology, Therapy and Management of Melanoma brings up-to-date information regarding a number of aspects which culminate in illuminating potential targets in the fight against melanoma. This book is intended to be a reference book for both the scientific and clinical communities and brings complicated subject matter together in an easy, readable way. Undoubtedly fundamental scientific understanding has to then be translated to the clinic in order for us to make significant strides in eradicating melanoma. It is hoped that scientists, clinicians, students and residents find this book useful in their studies on melanoma and that it not only expands their perspectives and views on the field, but challenges them to forge ahead towards discovering the ultimate cure.