Mucus and mucins Flashcards
1
Q
What are mucins
A
Extremely large polymers (glycoproteins)
Bind lots of water
Swell and expand in solution
Dominated by glucose (hanging off repeatedly)
Have pathogen receptors (leptins)
In concentrated solution they entangle with each other
2
Q
Gel forming mucins
A
MUC2 MUC5AC (outside) MUC5B MUC6 (epi surface) MUC19
3
Q
Mucins role
A
- structural; large diameter and invade space. stay straight due to attatched sugars. entangle and form cross links with each other
- protease resistant (due to sugars protecting the protein)
- pathogen binding, evasion and killing
4
Q
What is the glycocalyx
A
carb rich environment layer surrounding cell
cell surface transmembrane mucins send signals to cell to proliferate or apoptose if detect pathogen
5
Q
What is mucus made up of
A
90% water and ions
5-10% glycoproteins
1-5% mucins
