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Related Concept Videos

Overview of Secretory Vesicles01:33

Overview of Secretory Vesicles

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Secretory vesicles, also known as dense core vesicles (DCVs), are membrane-bound vesicles that transport secretory proteins, such as hormones or neurotransmitters. Regulated secretory vesicles transport proteins from the trans-Golgi network to the exterior of the cell. Proteins present in regulated secretory vesicles are required to be rapidly exocytosed in large amounts upon a specific stimulus.
Various proteins regulate the aggregation of molecules inside the secretory vesicles. Chromogranins...
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Protein Glycosylation01:25

Protein Glycosylation

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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...
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Glycocalyx and its Functions01:14

Glycocalyx and its Functions

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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.
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Oligosaccharide Assembly01:24

Oligosaccharide Assembly

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Protein glycosylation starts in the ER lumen and continues in the Golgi apparatus. Glycosyltransferases catalyze the addition of sugar molecules or glycosylation of proteins. Usually, these enzymes add sugars to the hydroxyl groups of selected serine or threonine residues to form O-linked glycans or the amino groups of asparagine residues to form N-linked glycans. Different positions on the same polypeptide chain can contain differently linked glycans.
Multiple sugar molecules that may or may...
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Exocytosis00:51

Exocytosis

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Exocytosis is used to release material from cells. Like other bulk transport mechanisms, exocytosis requires energy.
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Golgi Apparatus01:49

Golgi Apparatus

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As they leave the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER), properly folded and assembled proteins are selectively packaged into vesicles. These vesicles are transported by microtubule-based motor proteins and fuse together to form vesicular tubular clusters, subsequently arriving at the Golgi apparatus, a eukaryotic endomembrane organelle that often has a distinctive ribbon-like appearance.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 21, 2025

Characterizing Extracellular Vesicles from Biological Fluids
05:07

Characterizing Extracellular Vesicles from Biological Fluids

Published on: February 28, 2025

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Extracellular Vesicles and Glycosylation.

Yoichiro Harada1, Yuki Ohkawa1, Kento Maeda1

  • 1Department of Glyco-Oncology and Medical Biochemistry, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|September 8, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Extracellular vesicles are small particles released by cells that carry signals to other cells. These vesicles are coated with sugars called glycans, which help them interact with cells and tissues. This review summarizes what is known about how these sugars influence the behavior of extracellular vesicles. The authors suggest that these glycans might be important for controlling how vesicles function and could be useful in medical treatments. The study highlights the need for more research to understand how these sugars affect vesicle biology and their potential use in clinical applications.

Keywords:
ExosomesExtracellular vesiclesGlycosylationMicrovesiclesTumorsExtracellular vesicle biologyGlycan function in vesiclesCell signaling mechanismsClinical use of extracellular vesicles

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Single Extracellular Vesicle Transmembrane Protein Characterization by Nano-Flow Cytometry
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Area of Science:

  • Cell biology and extracellular signaling
  • Glycobiology and molecular medicine
  • Extracellular vesicle research in clinical applications

Background:

The role of extracellular vesicles in biological processes is well established. These vesicles are known to transport macromolecules and influence cellular communication. However, the specific role of glycosylation in EV function remains underexplored. Prior research has identified EVs as key players in development, immune responses, and disease progression. Glycans on cell surfaces are known to mediate interactions and signaling. Yet, the extent to which EV glycans regulate vesicle behavior is unclear. This uncertainty motivates further investigation into EV glycosylation. The current literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of how EV glycans affect vesicle biology. This gap drives the need for a detailed review of EV glycosylation mechanisms.

Purpose Of The Study:

This study aims to summarize current knowledge about glycosylation in extracellular vesicles. The focus is on understanding how glycans influence EV biogenesis and function. The goal is to clarify the role of EV glycans in cellular and matrix interactions. The authors seek to highlight the clinical relevance of EV glycosylation. They aim to address how glycans regulate EV behavior and signaling. The study also explores the potential of EV glycans in medical applications. The purpose is to provide a framework for future research in this area. The authors emphasize the need for further investigation into EV glycosylation.

Main Methods:

The authors conducted a review of existing literature on EV glycosylation. They analyzed studies focusing on the biogenesis and function of extracellular vesicles. The review approach included examining how glycans are involved in EV formation and signaling. The authors synthesized findings from multiple disciplines, including glycobiology and cell biology. They evaluated the role of glycans in EV-to-cell and EV-to-matrix interactions. The study also considered clinical applications of EV glycans. The authors used a narrative review method to organize the findings. The approach highlights the current state of knowledge and identifies areas requiring further research.

Main Results:

The review found that EVs are heavily modified with glycans on their surfaces. These glycans are involved in regulating EV biogenesis and extracellular behavior. Glycans on EVs mediate interactions with target cells and extracellular matrices. The study suggests that EV glycans influence vesicle stability and signaling. Glycans may also affect how EVs are recognized and internalized by recipient cells. The findings indicate that EV glycans play a role in immune responses and disease progression. The authors propose that EV glycans could serve as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. The results emphasize the need for further research into EV glycosylation mechanisms.

Conclusions:

The authors conclude that EV glycans are critical for regulating vesicle function and signaling. They suggest that glycosylation influences EV interactions with cells and matrices. The study highlights the potential clinical applications of EV glycans. The authors propose that EV glycans could be used as diagnostic or therapeutic tools. They emphasize the need for more detailed studies on EV glycosylation. The findings suggest that glycans may affect EV stability and targeting. The authors recommend further research into the role of EV glycans in disease. The study concludes by identifying gaps in current knowledge about EV glycosylation.

Glycans on EV surfaces regulate biogenesis and extracellular behavior, including interactions with cells and matrices.

EV glycans mediate EV-to-cell and EV-to-matrix interactions, influencing vesicle targeting and signaling.

Glycosylation affects EV stability, signaling, and recognition by recipient cells, according to the authors.

The study suggests EV glycans may serve as biomarkers or therapeutic targets in disease.

EV glycans may regulate immune cell interactions and signaling, as proposed in the literature.

The authors identify a need for more detailed studies on how EV glycans regulate vesicle function.