Sugar molecules within our bodies can be more powerful than we think. In fact, simple sugar molecules can link together and make powerful structures that aide in cancer, aging, and autoimmune diseases. These sugar chains are called glycans and some structures have not even been found yet which can bring many possibilities to our health world today. Glycans and new discoveries about it are important because they can help to predict the risk of diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and even food allergies.
Key Takeaways:
- Main Street, U.S.A got the bead on DNA and genomics thanks to the Human Genome Project, finished in 2003.
- Now a new possible map is getting buzz, having to do with glycans, or sugar chains, a field that lags 20 years behind others.
- Glycomics, or the study of such chains, could help in predicting whether individuals are at risk for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, or possibly even certain allergies.
“These long sugar chains that cover each of our cells are called glycans, and according to the National Academy of Sciences, creating a map of their location and structure will usher us into a new era of modern medicine.”
Read more: https://phys.org/news/2018-08-sugar-codewhy-glycome-big-health.html
