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N-Acetylneuraminic acid



N-Acetylneuraminic acid
Identifiers
CAS number 131-48-6
PubChem 439197
MeSH N-Acetylneuraminic+Acid
Properties
Molecular formula C11H19NO9
Molar mass 309.273
Appearance White crystalline powder
Melting point

186°C (decomposes)

Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox disclaimer and references

N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac or NANA) is the predominant sialic acid.

The negative charge of this chemical is responsible for the slippery feel of saliva and mucins coating the body’s organs.

Despite its role of acting as "decoy" for invading pathogens, Neu5Ac is becoming known as an agent necessary for mediating ganglioside distribution and structures in the brain.

Along with involvement in preventing infections (mucus associated with mucous membranes - mouth, nose, GI, respiratory tract), Neu5Ac acts as a receptor for influenza viruses to allow attachment to mucous cells (an early step in contracting the flu).

See also

 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "N-Acetylneuraminic_acid". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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