N-acetylneuraminic acid

N-Acetylneuraminic acid, a carbohydrate ubiquitous in nature, serves as a fundamental constituent in numerous glycoproteins, glycopeptides, and glycolipids. Its biological roles are extensive, encompassing the regulation of blood protein half-life, neutralization of various toxins, facilitation of cell adhesion, mediation of immune antigen-antibody reactions, and shielding cells from lysis. Additionally, biochemical derivatives of sialic acid find common application in drug synthesis. N-Acetylneuraminic acid acts as the substrate for N-acetylneuraminate aldolase, an enzyme involved in its metabolic processing.