The Art of Carbohydrate Analysis

Book excerpt: The growing importance of glycobiology and carbohydrate chemistry in modern biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry makes accurate carbohydrate analysis indispensable. This book provides the principles and protocols of various fundamental carbohydrate analysis methods. Choice of method is entirely dependent upon the type of material being investigated (biological samples, food products, etc.), and the level of structural detail required, i.e. sugar content, compositional analysis, linkages between the sugar components, or the total chemical structure of a given molecule. Full structural characterization of carbohydrate chains requires significant time, resources, and skill in several methods of analysis; no single technique can address all glycan analysis needs. This book summarizes several existing analytical techniques (both chemical and physical) in an introductory volume designed for the non-expert researcher or novice scientist. While background in carbohydrate chemistry is assumed, all information necessary to understanding the described techniques is addressed in the text.