Novel approaches to the analysis of polysaccharide structures

Recently, atomic force microscopy has been used to image a variety of polysaccharides and map their distribution on cell surfaces. The mechanical response of polysaccharides to tensile stress has been investigated in single-molecule force spectroscopy experiments. Small-angle X-ray scattering has provided a probe of polysaccharide structure operating in a size range (2-25 nm) that is intermediate between those accessible using nuclear magnetic resonance and light scattering.