Glycosaminoglycans
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are present on the surfaces of all adherent animal cells and in extracellular matrices. GAGs interact with many families of growth factors and growth factor receptors and thus influence cell growth and differentiation.
Click here for a primer on GAG structure and biology.
The Mass Spectrometry Resource is developing methods for tandem mass spectrometric sequencing of glycosaminoglycans. Specific projects include:
- Determination of the 4S/6S sulfation sequence of chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans
- Determination of glucuronic acid/iduronic acid epimers in chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides
- Determination of sequences of sulfation and epimerization of heparan sulfate oligosaccharides
- Development of new LC/MS approaches for analysis of glycosaminoglycans
Click here for recent glycosaminoglycan-related publications
