ABSTRACT

Sialic acids comprise a large family of derivatives of the sugar neuraminic acid (Varki 2008). Their structural diversity and ubiquitous distribution in nature refl ect the broad range of biological functions that these sugars control. Because of their terminal position on the glycan chains of glycoproteins and glycolipids and their negative charge, sialic acids are potent modulators of the structure and biochemical properties of soluble and membrane glycoconjugates, and play a critical role in fundamental processes ranging from tissue development and differentiation, to innate immunity, infl ammation, and response to pathogens (Varki and Schauer 2009).