Recent Progress in the Development and Application of Lectin Mimics

Emerging significance of carbohydrates in various biological processes has accelerated the development and application of carbohydrate-binding small molecules (lectin mimics). In the past three decades, tremendous progress has been seen in designing lectin mimics that can capture carbohydrates in aqueous media. The efforts to use carbohydrate-binding natural products in carbohydrate research have been also initiated in recent years. By focusing on the lectin mimics of synthetic and natural origins, this minireview outlines their molecular basis of carbohydrate recognition, and discusses their potential for application in carbohydrate research.