PROTEOGLYCANS AND PATHOLOGY (LL)

The double biochemical nature proteoglycans allows them to combine in the same macromolecule both a proteic (the core protein) and a sacchar idic (glycosaminoglycan chains) variability. Through this structural d iversity, proteoglycans are highly interactive macromolecules and thus participate in a broad range of matricial and cellular actions. Chang es in the metabolism and therefore in the structure of proteoglycans c an have drastic effects on the pathobiology of many diseases. Mucopoly saccharidoses, osteoarthritic process in the cartilage, atherosclerosi s, corneal macular dystrophy, tumoral growth and its metastatic power, diabetic proteinuria, Alzheimer's disease, are examples of pathologie s linked to quantitive and/or qualitative changes in proteoglycans.