Heparin/heparan sulphates (HS) are linear glycosaminoglycan (GAG) polysaccharides which play critical roles through binding to a wide range growth factors with biological evidence implicating L-iduronic-containing domains and number/location of sulfation as key to effects on a number of FGFs. The complex heterogeneity of natural HS oligosaccharides means defining roles of specific HS sequences - essential for providing designed sequences for both biological studies and potential therapeutic applications is best addressed by specific synthesis of a diversity of structurally-defined HS sequences. A significant challenge in this area is to provide both diversity and the capacity for viable scale-up of longer oligosaccharide syntheses.
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