Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists01:24

Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists

Incretins include glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which stimulate insulin secretion post-meals. In type 2 diabetes, GIP's efficacy is reduced, making GLP-1 a viable drug target. GIP originates from preproGIP.
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by the...
Cellulose and Pectic Polysaccharides01:15

Cellulose and Pectic Polysaccharides

Every plant cell has a cell wall that protects the cell, provides structural support, and gives the cell shape. Cellulose, the main structural component of the plant cell wall, makes up over 30% of plant matter. It is the most abundant organic compound on earth.  Cellulose is an unbranched polysaccharide composed of linear chains of glucose molecules linked by β (1→4) glycosidic bonds.
As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to its type. For example, the parenchyma cells of...
Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis01:23

Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis

Bacterial cell walls are typically rigid structures composed mainly of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like polymer that provides mechanical strength and maintains cell shape. The synthesis of peptidoglycan is a crucial process in bacterial growth and serves as a primary target for many antibiotics.Mechanism of Action of Beta-Lactam AntibioticsBeta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis in actively growing cells. These antibiotics share a characteristic four-membered...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Proteoglycans01:05

Proteoglycans

Glycans, a class of complex heterogeneous molecules, can be covalently attached to proteins to form glycosylated proteins that regulate various physiological and pathological processes. Glycosylated proteins or glycoproteins comprise N-linked and O-linked oligosaccharides. O-glycosylation is the most common type of protein glycosylation. Here, glycans attach to the oxygen atom of the hydroxyl groups of Serine or Threonine residues. O-linked glycosylation occurs later in protein processing,...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors01:19

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: α-Glucosidase Inhibitors

α-glucosidase inhibitors, including acarbose (Precose), miglitol (Glyset), and voglibose (Voglib) (primarily available in Asia), are drugs that control blood sugar levels by delaying the digestion of starch and disaccharides. They achieve this by inhibiting α-glucosidase enzymes in the intestine, which slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine, which in turn leads to a prolonged release of the glucoregulatory hormone GLP-1 from intestinal L-cells.
Acarbose and miglitol are typically...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The prebiotic inulin affects virulence factor expression in <i>Candida albicans</i>.

mBio·2026
Same author

Short-term antagonism between bacteriophages and macrophages decreases with bacteria-phage coevolution.

The ISME journal·2026
Same author

Closing the gap on antifungal resistance.

Nature medicine·2026
Same author

Flipping sides in NETosis.

Nature immunology·2026
Same author

Mycobacterial α-glucans hijack dectin-1 to facilitate intracellular bacterial survival.

Science immunology·2026
Same author

Working together to tackle fungal disease across Latin America.

Trends in microbiology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Isolation and Purification of Fungal &#946;-Glucan as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Glioblastoma
10:02

Isolation and Purification of Fungal β-Glucan as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Glioblastoma

Published on: June 2, 2023

beta-Glucans and dectin-1.

S Vicky Tsoni1, Gordon D Brown

  • 1Division of Immunology, CLS, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|December 17, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Beta-glucans are natural immune-modulating carbohydrates. Their receptor, dectin-1, is key to understanding how beta-glucans trigger cellular responses, impacting immunity and disease.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Carbohydrate Chemistry
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Beta-glucans are naturally occurring carbohydrates with known immune-modulating activities.
  • The precise mechanisms underlying beta-glucan functions have remained largely unelucidated.
  • Recent identification of specific beta-glucan receptors offers new avenues for research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the properties and functions of beta-glucans.
  • To explore the role of dectin-1 as a key receptor for beta-glucans.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of beta-glucan sensing and cellular response induction.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on beta-glucans and dectin-1.
  • Analysis of research detailing receptor identification and characterization.

More Related Videos

Live-cell Imaging of Fungal Cells to Investigate Modes of Entry and Subcellular Localization of Antifungal Plant Defensins
08:39

Live-cell Imaging of Fungal Cells to Investigate Modes of Entry and Subcellular Localization of Antifungal Plant Defensins

Published on: December 24, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Isolation and Purification of Fungal &#946;-Glucan as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Glioblastoma
10:02

Isolation and Purification of Fungal β-Glucan as an Immunotherapy Strategy for Glioblastoma

Published on: June 2, 2023

Live-cell Imaging of Fungal Cells to Investigate Modes of Entry and Subcellular Localization of Antifungal Plant Defensins
08:39

Live-cell Imaging of Fungal Cells to Investigate Modes of Entry and Subcellular Localization of Antifungal Plant Defensins

Published on: December 24, 2017

  • Synthesis of findings on intracellular signaling pathways activated by beta-glucans.

    • Main Results:

    • Dectin-1 has been identified as a primary receptor for beta-glucans.
    • Characterization of dectin-1 reveals processes of beta-glucan recognition and cellular activation.
    • Insights into beta-glucan-mediated intracellular signaling and immune cell responses.

    Conclusions:

    • Beta-glucans play a significant role in modulating the immune system.
    • Dectin-1 is crucial for mediating the biological effects of beta-glucans.
    • Understanding the beta-glucan-dectin-1 interaction provides new perspectives on immunity and disease management.