Description
Lectins, of either plant or animal origin, are carbohydrate binding proteins that interact with glycoprotein and glycolipids on the surface of animal cells. The Galectins are lectins that recognize and interact with beta-galactoside moieties. Galactin-3 regulates a number of biological processes, including embryogenesis, inflammatory responses, cell progression and metastasis. Galectin-3 is normally expressed in epithelia of a variety of tissues, including colon and endometrium, and in various inflammatory cells, including macrophages