21. The synthesis and degradation of sialic acid are distributed in different compartments of the cell. 22. Free sialic acid molecules are transported to the cytosol through the membrane of the lysosome. 23. It is believed that sialic acid has a decisive role in enabling neurotransmission between neurons. 24. It can cause the removal of sialic acid residues from the cell surface or serum sialoglycoconjugates. 25. Sialic acids can also be degraded to acylmannosamine and pyruvate with the cytosolic enzyme acylneuraminate lyase.26. "' Sialyltransferases "'are enzymes that transfer sialic acid to nascent oligosaccharide. 27. Sialic acid is a negatively charged sugar associated with the protein and lipid portions of lipoproteins.28. The numbering of the sialic acid structure begins at the carboxylate carbon and continues around the chain. 29. The alpha-anomer is the form that is found when sialic acid is bound to glycans. 30. The sialic acid -rich regions contribute to creating a negative charge on the cells'surfaces.
