Essential Galectin Functions in Cell Polarity |Biomedgrid

Galectin was first discovered by Teichberg in 1975 [1] and is now recognized as a family of endogenous lectins with a high affinity for polysaccharides containing β-galactoside residues [2]. Fifteen galectin family members, classified into three groups, have been identified, all of which have one or two highly conserved carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) [2]. They perform diverse biological functions in different cell types and tissues, such as immunity [3], cell adhesion [4], and cell migration [5]. Most of these functions are performed by secreted galectins, and such extracellular functions of galectins have been widely recognized and studied. However, a critical question is what intracellular galectins do because galectin is ubiquitous in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and extracellular space [6]. So far, this area of research remains largely untapped.