Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 1, 2026

Concanavalin A-Based Sedimentation Assay to Measure Substrate Binding of Glucan Phosphatases
Published on: December 23, 2022
Concanavalin A-sugar affinity based system: Binding interactions, principle of glucose-responsiveness, and modulated
Ruixue Yin1, Meirong Bai2, Jing He3
1Complex and Intelligent Systems Research Center, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, PR China; Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
Abstract:
The glucose-responsive behavior of the Con A-sugar affinity based hydrogels, microgels, films and nanoparticles has been widely investigated in the application of drug delivery and biosensors. However, the principle or mechanism of such systems is not well known in literature. In this study, for the first time, the glucose-responsive principle (or principle) of the Con A-sugar based system was detailedly explained through the binding interactions test by isothermal titration calorimetry and ligand binding theory. The study also successfully resolved the controversy regarding the principle of such systems in literature. The other contribution of the study is the experimental validation that the insulin-loaded microgels with different hydrogel-network compositions (based on Con A-sugar affinity) respond to different glucose concentrations. Particularly, the result of the in vitro insulin release suggests that the microgels be able to maintain bolus and basal insulin release in response to different glucose concentrations and the network composition be able to affect the burst release, release rate and overall release amount of insulin. Further, the released insulin has been shown to remain active and the microgels possess no in vitro cytotoxicity to HDF cells. The second contribution is a first step towards the realization of personalized diabetes care.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Affinity and Avidity
Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
Insulin and C-peptide are...
Phloem and Sugar Transport
The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength
Electron Affinity
Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...

