Cancer cells often form the glycocalyx with high levels of cell-surface mucins, which are thought to help protect the cancer cell from immune cell attack. However, a physical understanding of this ...

and reduced tumor growth in breast cancer mouse models. Mucinases clear the glycoprotein branches within the glycocalyx forest, reversing mucin’s multifaceted physical and immunological functions.

By understanding the role of the glycocalyx, scientists may discover better ways to get medicines into the brain, offering hope for conditions ranging from multiple sclerosis to brain cancer.