Essentials of Glycobiology—Part 8 (Every Biological Process)

Larry A. Law

Glycobiology involves the study of biological sugars (glycans) which the body uses to create receptors on the surface of each cell. Missing glycans affect not only every disease, but nearly every biological process going on in the body. This means that basic functions within the cell can be disrupted when miscommunication takes place. Five functions common to all cells include nutrient uptake, reproduction, growth, waste removal and reacting to external changes. All living things are made up of cells, which serve as the basic building blocks of life, and all cells have a purpose in a living organism. Apoptosis or programmed cell death is also a function of the cell on its journey from life to death.  

Apoptosis

It seems funny to talk about death while discussing the things of life, but it is a normal and necessary aspect of all mortal life. Cells wear out and need to be replaced so the organism (animal or human being) can continue living. Apoptosis is the name given to the myriad biological processes that can result in the death of the cell. Almost all cells have a programmed death date. Cells can initiate self-destruction internally when the time comes or respond to signals externally. When old cells die, they leave room for a new generation of cells to be born; in this way, the health of the larger organism is maintained and enhanced. Missing or altered sugars can disrupt this process and wreak havoc on the life of the organism. When apoptosis does not happen properly, degenerative diseases like cancer develop. 

Cellular Biology—Life and Death

The human body loses between 50 and 86.4 billion cells every day, and the body needs to replace them with new cells to maintain normal function. There are millions of biological processes going on within each cell in the body every day. Apoptosis is just one of them and sugars are involved in facilitating almost all of these activities. If the sugars are not in place structurally, communication fails and the process cannot be completed properly. The cell functions then break down in a multitude of ways. Truly, disease begins at the cell level and missing sugars are an important part of that equation.