Mapping Cancer Through Cell Surface Sugars

New imaging approach identifies distinct glycan signatures in tumors, immune cells, and healthy tissue

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Researchers developed a microscopy-based method called 'glycan atlassing' to map glycans on cell surfaces at nanometer-scale resolution.
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The glycocalyx plays a crucial role in immune signaling, cell adhesion, inflammation, and cancer biology.
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The method combines DNA-tagged lectins, metabolic glycan labeling, and super-resolution microscopy to analyze glycan distribution.
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Glycan patterns differed between normal and transformed breast epithelial cells and changed during epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.
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The technique revealed distinct glycan signatures in activated immune cells compared to resting cells, indicating dynamic changes.

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