| asialoglycoprotein | <protein> The carbohydrate moiety of many vertebrate glycoproteins bears terminal residues of sialic acid. If such residues are removed, for example by treatment with a neuraminidase, the resulting proteins are known as asialoglycoproteins. In the case of certain plasma proteins, the asialo derivatives are specifically bound by a receptor on the surface of liver parenchymal cells (the clearance receptor). (18 Nov 1997) |
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| asialoglycoprotein receptor | A surface receptor found in hepatocytes that binds galactose-terminal glycoproteins; thus, this receptor removes those proteins from circulation and they are in turn acted upon by hepatocyte lysosomes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| asialoglycoproteins | Endogenous glycoproteins from which sialic acid has been removed by the action of sialidases. They bind tightly to their cell surface receptor which is located on hepatocyte plasma membranes. After internalization by adsorptive endocytosis they are delivered to lysosomes for degradation. Therefore receptor-mediated clearance of asialoglycoproteins is an important aspect of the turnover of plasma glycoproteins. They are elevated in serum of patients with hepatic cirrhosis or hepatitis. (12 Dec 1998) |