Description
Galectins are a family of animal lectins with an affinity for beta-galactosides. This family has at least 14 identified members. Galectins share similarities in the CRD (the carbohydrate recognition domain). Galectins are synthesized as cytosolic proteins. Though localized principally in the cytoplasm and lacking a classical signal peptide, galectins can also be stimulated to secretion by non-classical pathways or alternatively targeted to the nucleus. Galectins are involved in modulating cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Galectin-14 is a member of the galectin family of carbohydrate binding proteins. The Galectin-4 gene is predominantly intracellularly in the placenta and eosinophils and is released by eosinophils following allergen stimulation. Galectin-4 may be involved in the development of allergic inflammation. Human recombinant Galectin-14 produced in E. coli is fused with a 23 amino acid His-tag at the N-terminus. It is a single, non-glycosylated polypeptide chain of 162 amino acids (1-139 a.a.) and a molecular mass of 18.5 kDa. It has been purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques