Structures and functions associated with the group of mammalian lectins containing collagen‐like sequences

The number of proteins found in body fluids and at cell surfaces, which are known to display carbohydrate-binding properties, continues to increase rapidly. In these proteins, in addition to a domain associated with lectin properties, one or more, non-lectin domains are present. It is possible that binding of sugar residues by the lectin domain may be important in triggering a variety of recognition and clearance mechanisms via the non-lectin domains. The group of lectins containing collagen-like sequences may provide some insight into structure/function relationships of the different domains in view of the well defined structures already available for several of these molecules.