Molecular interactions at the cell surface: role of glycoconjugates and membrane lipids in receptor recognition processes.

The present report has described studies using a particular receptor--the TSH receptor--to raise questions concerned with the role of glycolipids and glycoproteins in receptor recognition events and the relevance of lipid modulation of these components in regard to their functional expression. The importance of carbohydrates in other recognition systems will be even more eloquently detailed in subsequent presentations. It is clear, however, that we have gone beyond their recognition as important and are entered into a research stage where questions of how and why are center stage. It is equally clear, as evidenced by the monoclonal antibody data presented herein, that studies of these questions will provide new insight into the mechanism of disease states and will offer new and better diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.