Table 1.

Examples of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and their main backbone components.

Table of GAGs	Hexuronic acid	Hexosamine	Glycosidic linkage	Average sulphate per disaccharide
Hyaluronic acid	GlcUA	βGlcNAc	1–3, 1–4	0
Chondroitin sulphate	GlcUA or GlcUA(2S)	GalNAc or GalNAc(4S) or GalNAc(6S) or GalNAc(4S,6S)	1–3, 1–4	0–2
Heparin	GlcUA or IdoUA(2S)	GlcNAc or GlcNS or GlcNAc(6S) or GlcNS(6S)	1–4	2-3
Heparan sulphate	GlcUA or IdoUA or IdoUA(2S)	GlcNAc or GlcNS or GlcNAc(6S) or GlcNS(6S)	1–4	0–2
Dermatan sulphate	GlcUA or IdoUA or IdoUA(2S)	GalNAc or GalNAc(4S) or GalNAc(6S) or GalNAc(4S,6S)	1–3, 1–4	0–2

Hexuronic acid—GlcUA: β-D-glucuronic acid; GlcUA(2S): 2-O-sulfo-β-D-glucuronic acid; IdoUA(2S): 2-O-sulfo-α-L-iduronic acid; IdoUA: α-L-iduronic acid.

Hexosamine—βGlcNAc: β-D-N-acetylglucosamine; GlcNAc: α-D-N-acetylglucosamine; GalNAc: β-D-N-acetylgalactosamine; GalNAc(4S): β-D-N-acetylgalactosamine-4-O-sulfate; GalNAc(6S): β-D-N-acetylgalactosamine-6-O-sulfate; GalNAc(4S,6S): β-D-N-acetylgalactosamine-4-O, 6-O-sulfate; GlcNS: α-D-N-sulfoglucosamine; GlcNS(6S): α-D-N-sulfoglucosamine-6-O-sulfate.