History of glycoproteins

Glycoprotein is a protein modified by the addition of relatively short sugar chains. It is a macromolecules composed of a protein and carbohydrates.

The biochemical era of the history of glycoproteins covers more than a century from 1865 when Eichwald proved the first evidence that various mucins ‘’are compounds consisting of a moiety with all properties of a genuine protein and a moiety released under certain conditions as a sugar’, until 1968, the date of the triumphal entry of glycoproteins into the field of molecular biology when Ashwell discovered endogenous lectins and demonstrated that glycans are recognition signals.

The most important initial papers in the glycoprotein field were by O. Hammarsten in 1885. This work was carried out in the laboratories of the University of Uppsala and it is of interest that the later work of Gunnar Blix and his associate was carried out in the same laboratory.

Mannose was first identified in plasma glycoproteins by Dische in 1928 and at almost the same time by Rimington in 1929. Soon afterward, galactose was first shown to be present in plasma proteins by H. Bierry in 1934.

After 1945, the chemistry of glycoproteins began an exponential development phase due to the tenacity and faith of a new scientist who firmly convinced that insight into the metabolism, biology and pathology of glycoproteins can only be achieved on the basis of knowledge of the primary structure of the glycans.
History of glycoproteins

In vitro fertilization – Dr Daniele Petrucci

For more than 90 years, work on in vitro fertilization of humans has been reported. In 1959, Daniele Petrucci, an Italian scientist announced to the press that he had fertilized a human egg in vitro and sustained the embryo alive in this artificial environmental for 29 days, although it became enlarge and deformed.

He had begun with a female ovum removed surgically at just the right, ripe moment. He had then admitted male sperm, one of which had proceeded to fertilize the egg. Under his careful laboratory nursing, the egg had grown into this embryo.

The extraordinary experiment was the 42nd attempt by Daniele Petrucci to grow a human embryo outside the womb.

He is using this startling technique to solve one of the world’s knottiest medical problems: how to transplant human tissue.

The embryo was being grown in the laboratory until the research was condemned Pope John XXIII. Vatican sources as well as laymen roundly denounced Petrucci for manipulating human life in this fashion.

An outrage citizen even demanded that the doctor be prosecuted for murder because he ‘terminated the experiment’ at the end of 29 days.
In vitro fertilization – Dr Daniele Petrucci