Galectin-3 as a multifunctional protein.

Abstract

Galectin-3 is a 31 kDa member of a growing family of beta-galactoside-binding animal lectins. This protein is expressed in a variety of tissues and cell types and is mainly found in the cytoplasm, although, depending on cell type and proliferative state, a significant amount of this lectin can also be detected in the nucleus, on the cell surface or in the extracellular environment. Galectin-3 is secreted from cells by a novel and incompletely understood mechanism that is independent of the classical secretory pathway through the endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi network. Galectin-3 exhibits pleiotropic biological function, playing a key role in many physiological and pathological processes.

• Authors: Anna Krześlak, Anna Lipińska
• Journal: Cellular & molecular biology letters (Cell Mol Biol Lett) Vol. 9 Issue 2 Pg. 305-28 ( 2004) ISSN: 1425-8153 [Print] England
• PMID: 15213811 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Carbohydrates
• Galectin 3
• Ligands

Topics

• Animals
• Apoptosis (physiology)
• Carbohydrate Metabolism
• Carbohydrates (chemistry)
• Disease Progression
• Galectin 3 (chemistry, genetics, metabolism)
• Humans
• Ligands
• Molecular Structure
• Neoplasms (pathology, physiopathology)
• Protein Binding
• Tissue Distribution