Asialoglycoprotein receptor
Encyclopedia
The asialoglycoprotein receptors are lectin
s which bind asialoglycoprotein
, glycoproteins from which a sialic acid
has been removed to expose galactose residues. The receptors, which are located on liver cells, remove the target glycoproteins from circulation.
Lectin
Lectins are sugar-binding proteins that are highly specific for their sugar moieties. They play a role in biological recognition phenomena involving cells and proteins. For example, some viruses use lectins to attach themselves to the cells of the host organism during infection...
s which bind asialoglycoprotein
Asialoglycoprotein
If terminal sialic acid residues are removed from glycoproteins, the resulting proteins are known as asialoglycoproteins.The exposure of the subterminal galactose residues results in rapid clearance of the glycoproteins from the circulation through hepatocyte asialoglycoprotein receptors on Kuppfer...
, glycoproteins from which a sialic acid
Sialic acid
Sialic acid is a generic term for the N- or O-substituted derivatives of neuraminic acid, a monosaccharide with a nine-carbon backbone. It is also the name for the most common member of this group, N-acetylneuraminic acid...
has been removed to expose galactose residues. The receptors, which are located on liver cells, remove the target glycoproteins from circulation.