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Trafficking

Sugar unmasking for trafficking

Cell surface acidification has key roles in both cell migration and bone resorption. A study now identifies a pathway whereby growth factor signalling induces local acidification, driving sialic acid removal and galectin-3-mediated integrin internalization.

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Fig. 1: The de-sialylation glycoswitch model.

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Correspondence to Derek Toomre.

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Calderwood, D.A., Toomre, D. Sugar unmasking for trafficking. Nat Cell Biol 27, 375–376 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-025-01615-y

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