[Membrane binding and soluble lectins in higher organisms].

Lectins defined as proteins other than enzymes and antibodies that possess binding sites for specific carbohydrate sequences, are associated with the cell surface, the cytoplasm, the nucleus, extracellular matrices and body fluids, and are involved in molecular recognition, trafficking of glycoproteins and tissue organisation. Animal lectins are classified into two main groups: the C-type and the S-type lectins, characterised by sequence homology, solubility, sugar specificity, distribution, developmental regulation, calcium-dependency and reducing agents-dependency for their saccharide binding activity. Under SANU Projects supervised by Academician Milovan Jovanović, lectin types C and S were investigated. Special emphasis was placed on asialoglycoprotein receptor of rat hepatocytes, soluble beta-galactoside-binding protein of human placenta and hepatic nuclear lectins. The results of this work are presented and discussed hereinafter.