Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026

In Vivo Imaging Uncovers the Migratory Behavior of Leukocytes within the Joints
Published on: December 9, 2025
Glycoconjugate markers of joint diseases
Janusz Popko1, Sławomir Olszewski, Tomasz Guszczyn
1Department of Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medical University, Białystok, Poland. jpopko@umwb.edu.pl
Abstract:
A number of different types of glycoconjugate are found associated with joint tissue and fluids, comprising glycoproteins, glycolipids and glycosaminoglycans. Oligosaccharide chains of glycoconjugates are degraded by exoglycosidases, and the dominant exoglycosidase found in human blood, synovial fluid, the synovial membrane and chondrocytes of articular cartilage is HEX (N-acetyl-β-hexosaminidase). HEX is localized mostly intracellularly in synovial cells. Serum activity of HEX may be used to monitor the course and efficiency of treatment of Lyme arthritis, and activity of HEX, above 10 μkat/kg of protein in the synovial fluid, suggests rheumatoid disease. There is a shortage of HEX inhibitors able to penetrate synoviocytes, so the development of drugs which inhibit synthesis and/or the activity of HEX will be a promising field for future investigations.
Related Concept Videos
Glycosaminoglycans
GAGS are found in the extracellular matrix of vertebrates, invertebrates, and bacteria. Due to their polar nature they attract water, and serve as excellent lubricants or shock absorbers in an animal body.
Hyaluronic...
Proteoglycans
Matrix Proteoglycans and Glycoproteins
Conjugated Proteins
Nucleoproteins are protein complexes that contain nucleic acids, categorized as deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNPs) or ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) respectively. The nucleosome is a typical example of a DNP where nuclear DNA is associated with histone proteins. The major antigen for the Covid-19 virus SARS-CoV is an RNP that is critical...
Conjugated Proteins
Nucleoproteins are protein complexes that contain nucleic acids, categorized as deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNPs) or ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) respectively. The nucleosome is a typical example of a DNP where nuclear DNA is associated with histone proteins. The major antigen for the Covid-19 virus SARS-CoV is an RNP that is critical...
Protein Glycosylation
Glycosylation occurs in...
