MAC-2 - A VERSATILE GALACTOSE-BINDING PROTEIN OF MAMMALIAN-TISSUES

Mac-2 is a member of the S-(soluble) lectin family. Its identification and isolation from a wide variety of cell types and tissues suggest a diversity of roles in various biological systems. The key points to b e made are that Mac-2, and the S-lectins in general, by virtue of thei r recognition of a variety of carbohydrate structures expressed on dif ferent glycoproteins, are well placed to exert discrete biological eff ects according to the distribution of those glycoproteins in tissues a nd their differential patterns of glycosylation according to developme ntal status and cell type. In this regard, the lectins are fundamental ly different in character to other effector molecules that in general bind to specific receptors to trigger single signal transduction event s.