Anti-Galectin 3

Galectins are a family of animal lectins defined by shared characteristic amino-acid sequences and affinity for ß-galactose-containing oligosac-charides . Galectin-3 contains one carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) and a proline- and glycine-rich N-terminal domain through which is able to form oligomers. Galectin-3 is widely expressed in many normal tissues and a variety of tumors. It is found intracellularly in nucleus and cytoplasm or secreted outside of cell,being present on the cell surface or in the extracellular space . Galectin-3 is involved in various biological processes including cell growth,adhesion,differentiation,apoptosis,angiogenesis,immune response,neoplastic transformation and metastasis . Protein function: Galactose-specific lectin which binds IgE. May mediate with the alpha-3, beta-1 integrin the stimulation by CSPG4 of endothelial cells migration. Together with DMBT1, required for terminal differentiation of columnar epithelial cells during early embryogenesis. In the nucleus: acts as a pre-mRNA splicing factor. Involved in acute inflammatory responses including neutrophil activation and adhesion, chemoattraction of monocytes macrophages, opsonization of apoptotic neutrophils, and activation of mast cells. Together with TRIM16, coordinates the recognition of membrane damage with mobilization of the core autophagy regulators ATG16L1 and BECN1 in response to damaged endomembranes. [The UniProt Consortium]