Fucose galactose carbohydrates have been shown to induce neuronal outgrowth. The invention includes methods of inducing neuronal outgrowth using carbohydrates, assemblies, and polymers bearing fucose-galactose moieties, as well as associated proteins. Cell growth can be stimulated in cells in culture or in cells within an animal or patient. Growth stimulation has application to understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases including, for example, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis and conditions such as stroke, brain injury and spinal cord injury. Such compounds, polymers, and assemblies also can be used to increase neural stem or progenitor cells in culture or in an animal, and to enervate engineered tissue.
富糖半
乳糖碳水化合物已被证明能诱导神经突出生长。该发明涉及利用富糖半
乳糖基团、相关蛋白质的
碳水化合物、组装体和聚合物诱导神经突出生长的方法。细胞生长可以在培养细胞中或动物或患者体内的细胞中被刺激。生长刺激对于理解和治疗神经退行性疾病具有应用,例如帕
金森病、阿尔茨海默病、多发性硬化症以及中风、脑损伤和脊髓损伤等疾病。这些化合物、聚合物和组装体还可以用于增加培养细胞或动物中的神经干细胞或祖细胞,并使工程组织恢复活力。