Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Removal and Replacement of Endogenous Ligands from Lipid-Bound Proteins and Allergens
Published on: February 24, 2021
The role of lectins in allergic sensitization and allergic disease
Fabián Salazar1, Herb F Sewell, Farouk Shakib
1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Allergic diseases are a global public health issue affecting millions of persons around the world. However, full understanding of the molecular basis of this group of chronic inflammatory disorders remains rather elusive. Recently, the role of carbohydrates on allergens and their counterstructures on antigen-presenting cells (lectins) have been highlighted as crucial factors in allergen sensitization, which culminates in TH2 cell differentiation and the production of deleterious specific IgE antibodies. Here we review recent progress on the role of different lectins in patients with type I hypersensitivity or allergy, their interplay with other determinants of allergenicity, and ways of developing therapeutic modalities against newly identified targets.
Related Concept Videos
Allergic Reactions
Allergic Drug Reactions
Drug Toxicity: Allergic Reactions
Allergic Reactions: Anaphylaxis
Antibody Structure
Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins (Ig), are essential players of the adaptive immune system. These antigen-binding proteins are produced by B cells and make up 20 percent of the total blood plasma by weight. In mammals, antibodies fall into five different classes, which each elicits a different biological response upon antigen binding.
The Y-Shaped Structure of Antibodies Consists of Four Polypeptide Chains
Antibodies consist of four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy...
Selectins

