Carbohydrate-mediated cell adhesion to glycoproteins immobilized on nitrocellulose.

A method that allows the estimation of carbohydrate-mediated cell adhesion to glycoproteins and polysaccharides immobilized to a nitrocellulose matrix is described. Specificity of adhesion by indicator cells (Chang liver) has been verified using glycoconjugates with defined carbohydrate structure. Two independent receptor systems with beta-galactose or alpha-fucose specificity, respectively, have been demonstrated by this method to occur on Chang liver cells. The method is also applicable for other indicator cells like murine fibrosarcoma cells and has been used for the analysis of dot-blots and Western blots of glycoproteins.