Biochemical Society Focused Meeting
Proceedings of invited Speakers will be published in Biochemical Society Transactions
Meeting Background
Cytokines are small-to-medium sized proteins which variously carry signals of activation, inhibition, proliferation and survival from one cell to another by diffusing through the extracellular matrix. It is increasingly emerging that a large number of structurally diverse cytokines bind to glycosaminoglycans; long, unbranched polysaccharides which are near ubiquitous constituents of cell surfaces and the extracellular matrix. These O-linked glycans are carried by a specialised class of glycoprotein, the proteoglycans. They contain complex non-random saccharide sequences, defined partly by patterns of sulphation, which display differential affinities for their protein ligands. Cytokine-proteoglycan interactions may be involved in cytokine-receptor binding, the storage and protection of cytokines in the extracellular matrix, and in shaping morphogen gradients in developing tissues. They are essential for normal development and function, and for responses to tissue damage and infection. This two-day meeting will focus on current advances in the study of different cytokine families, exploring the structural biology and physiological significance of their interactions with proteoglycans.
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