Cellular recognition by membrane and secreted proteins commonly involves both protein–protein and protein–glycan interactions, with the latter being mediated by lectin-like proteins [1].
Protein–glycan interactions are important in regulating a wide variety of physiological functions, especially in the nervous and immune systems, and their dysregulation can contribute significantly to human pathologies [2], [3] and [4].
In mammals, a growing number of lectin-like receptors and secreted proteins are being identified, and many have been assigned to discrete families based on sequence similarity, including C-type lectins, galectins, and siglecs (sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin [Ig]-like lectins)4[4] and [5].