Direct visualization of specifically modified extracellular glycans in living animals.

Attreed, Matthew; Desbois, Muriel; van Kuppevelt, Toin H; Bülow, Hannes E · Nat Methods · 2012

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Modification patterns of heparan sulfate coordinate protein function in metazoans, yet in vivo imaging of such non-genetically encoded structures has been impossible. Here we report a transgenic method in Caenorhabditis elegans that allows direct live imaging of specific heparan sulfate modification patterns. This experimental approach reveals a dynamic and cell-specific heparan sulfate landscape and could in principle be adapted to visualize and analyze any extracellular molecule in vivo.

Medical subject headings