Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 4, 2026
10:13
Micropatterned Surfaces to Study Hyaluronic Acid Interactions with Cancer Cells
Published on: December 22, 2010
14.6K
Hyaluronan: a simple polysaccharide with diverse biological functions
Kevin T Dicker1, Lisa A Gurski2, Swati Pradhan-Bhatt3
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 201 DuPont Hall, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
Acta Biomaterialia
|December 24, 2013
Summary
Hyaluronan (HA), a versatile polysaccharide, plays crucial roles in tissue structure, hydration, and cell signaling. Understanding HA
Area of Science:
- Matrix biology
- Biochemistry
- Cellular biology
Background:
- Hyaluronan (HA) is a ubiquitous polysaccharide in the extracellular matrix (ECM), cell surfaces, and intracellularly.
- It is essential for tissue hydration, solute diffusion, and lubrication due to its unique physical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the multifaceted biological functions of Hyaluronan (HA) from a matrix biology viewpoint.
- To explore HA's roles in physiological processes and pathological conditions like wound healing and tumor metastasis.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on HA biosynthesis, biodegradation, and protein interactions.
- Analysis of HA's involvement in cell signaling pathways and tissue engineering applications.
Main Results:
- HA interacts with proteins and proteoglycans to organize the ECM and maintain tissue homeostasis.
- HA binding to cell surface receptors triggers signaling pathways regulating cell function, development, inflammation, and disease progression.
Conclusions:
- HA's biocompatibility and modifiability enable the development of HA-based biomaterials for clinical applications.
- Understanding HA's mechanisms offers insights for engineering complex tissues and disease models.
More Related Videos
06:54Evaluation of the Interplay Between the Complement Protein C1q and Hyaluronic Acid in Promoting Cell Adhesion
Published on: June 15, 2019
5.3K
08:32Analysis of Cancer Cell Invasion and Anti-metastatic Drug Screening Using Hydrogel Micro-chamber Array HMCA-based Plates
Published on: October 25, 2018
8.5K
Related Concept Videos
01:23Glycosaminoglycans
6.4K
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), also known as mucopolysaccharides, are long and linear polymers comprising of specific repeating disaccharides - the amino sugar that can be N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylgalactosamine, and a uronic acid that is usually glucuronic acid or iduronic acid.
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...
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...
6.4K
01:05Proteoglycans
4.1K
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,...
4.1K
01:14Glycocalyx and its Functions
9.2K
The glycocalyx is a carbohydrate-rich, fuzzy-appearing layer on the outer surface of the cell membrane. It is highly hydrophilic, because of this it attracts large amounts of water to the cell's surface. This aids the cell's interaction with the watery environment and also helps it to obtain substances dissolved in the water. It is also important for cell identification, self/non-self determination, and embryonic development and is used in cell-to-cell attachments to form tissues.
9.2K
01:21Matrix Proteoglycans and Glycoproteins
4.3K
Proteoglycans are extensively glycosylated proteins, commonly found in the extracellular matrix, interwoven with collagen fibers. Hyaline cartilage, the most common type of cartilage in the body, consists of short and dispersed collagen fibers associated with large amounts of proteoglycans. These proteoglycans have long negative charges that attract cations, which in turn attract water molecules. This influx of ions and water molecules swells up the proteoglycan like a water-soaked gel that can...
4.3K
01:17Connective Tissue Fibers and Ground Substance
44.2K
One of the significant functions of connective tissue is connecting tissues and organs. Unlike epithelial tissue that is composed of cells closely packed with little or no extracellular space in between, connective tissue cells are dispersed in a matrix. The matrix usually includes a large amount of extracellular material produced by the connective tissue cells that are embedded within it. It plays a significant role in the functioning of this tissue. The major component of the matrix is a...
44.2K
01:25Protein Glycosylation
8.4K
Glycosylation, the most common post-translational modification for proteins, serves diverse functions. Adding sugars to proteins makes the proteins more resistant to proteolytic digestion. Glycosylated proteins can act as markers and receptors to promote cell-cell adhesion. Additionally, they have many essential quality control functions in the cell, such as correct protein folding and facilitating transport of misfolded proteins to the cytosol, which can be degraded.
Glycosylation occurs in...
Glycosylation occurs in...
8.4K