Zymosan is a glucan with repeating

glucose Glucose is a simple sugar with the molecular formula . Glucose is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. Glucose is mainly made by plants and most algae during photosynthesis from water and carbon dioxide, using ...

units connected by β-1,3-glycosidic linkages. It binds to

TLR 2 Toll-like receptor 2 also known as TLR2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''TLR2'' gene. TLR2 has also been designated as CD282 (cluster of differentiation 282). TLR2 is one of the toll-like receptors and plays a role in the immune sys ...

and Dectin-1 (

CLEC7A C-type lectin domain family 7 member A or Dectin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''CLEC7A'' gene. CLEC7A is a member of the C-type lectin/C-type lectin-like domain (CTL/CTLD) superfamily. The encoded glycoprotein is a small type II ...

). Zymosan is a ligand found on the surface of fungi, like yeast. Zymosan is prepared from yeast cell wall and consists of protein-carbohydrate complexes. It is used to induce experimental sterile inflammation. In macrophages, zymosan-induced responses include the induction of proinflammatory cytokines, arachidonate mobilization, protein phosphorylation, and inositol phosphate formation. Zymosan A also raises cyclin D2 levels suggesting a role for the latter in macrophage activation besides proliferation. It potentiates acute liver damage after galactosamine injection suggesting that certain types of nonparenchymal cells other than Kupffer cells are involved in zymosan action.Zymosan A from Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Merck KGaA

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* {{Carbohydrates Polysaccharides