Galectins: structure, function and therapeutic potential

Galectins are a family of animal lectins that bind beta-galactosides. Outside the cell, galectins bind to cell-surface and extracellular matrix glycans and thereby affect a variety of cellular processes. However, galectins are also detectable in the cytosol and nucleus, and may influence cellular functions such as intracellular signalling pathways through protein-protein interactions with other cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins. Current research indicates that galectins play important roles in diverse physiological and pathological processes, including immune and inflammatory responses, tumour development and progression, neural degeneration, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and wound repair. Some of these have been…

• CR
  Cancer Research Institute
• CN
  Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
• UD
  Universidad de Buenos Aires

  Award: CONICET
• NI
  National Institutes of Health