A challenge to the riddle of the carbohydrate chain

Abstract

Almost ten years have passed since the advent of glycobiology. It is now timely to reflect how this adventurous research field has so far progressed, what is its aims and scope, and where it is going. In this respect, several points may be raised for discussion. 1. The carbohydrate chains are characterized by their potentially enormous and unique molecular diversity which surpasses those theoretically being conceivable in two other major biopolymers, proteins and nucleic acid. But what are biological consequences or meaning of this diversity? 2. Which genetic and evolutionary mechanism are responsible for generating such diversity? 3. Are there unique signal transduction systems that are mediated by the carbohydrate recognition? 4. Is the carbohydrate chain or carbohydrate recognition involved in essential functions of the brain, in which the cell to cell interaction highly develops? What relevance to neuronal network formation, neuronal plasticity, learning and memory? 5. What and how much progression in the near future is anticipated in structural glycobiology? 6. When will molecular mapping at a ultramicro scale (or at a level of 105 cells) of carbohydrate chains and automatic machines for sequencing and synthesizing any carbohydrate chain be realized? It is utmost important to develop such technologies in order to make the door of glycobiology open to anonymous researchers who are not familiar with glycobiology. Meanwhile, it should be emphasized that glycobiology is the biology of a socially ordered mass of cells, in which the self-organizing, form-forming form principle works. In other words, it is the biology of diversity, that forms a sharp contrast to the biology of unity so far being pursued in the world of nucleic acids and proteins. © 1997, Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston. All rights reserved.