Representative heteropolysaccharides

heteropolysaccharide component sugars functions distribution

hyaluronic acid D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine lubricant, shock absorber, water binding connective tissue, skin

chondroitin-4-sulfate* D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-4-O-sulfate calcium accumulation, cartilage and bone formation cartilage

heparin* D-glucuronic acid, L-iduronic acid, N-sulfo-D-glucosamine anticoagulant mast cells, blood

gamma globulin* N-acetyl-hexosamine, D-mannose, D-galactose antibody blood

blood group substance* D-glucosamine, D-galactosamine, L-fucose, D-galactose blood group specificity cell surfaces, especially red blood cells

*Covalently linked to protein; the proportion of protein to carbohydrate in such complex molecules varies from about 10% protein in the case of chondroitin-4-sulfate to better than 95% for gamma globulin.