Sialic acid

Definition

Sialic acid is a type of acidic sugar with a nine-carbon backbone, found at the outermost ends of glycan chains on the surfaces of cells and soluble proteins. Its presence significantly influences cell-to-cell interaction, immune response, and pathogen recognition.

Related terms

Glycoproteins: Proteins that have oligosaccharide chains (glycans) covalently attached to some of their amino acids, often including sialic acid as part of their structure.

Monosaccharides: Simple sugars that cannot be hydrolyzed into smaller carbohydrate units, serving as building blocks for more complex carbohydrates like sialic acid.

Cell adhesion: The process by which cells interact and attach to neighboring cells through specialized molecules on their surfaces, often mediated by substances like sialic acid.