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Hidden sugar patterns on human cells could reveal cancer early

Scientists have uncovered a hidden “sugar code” on the surface of human cells that could transform how diseases are detected. Using an advanced imaging technique called Glycan Atlasing, researchers at the Max Planck Institute mapped the tiny sugar structures coating cells and discovered that these patterns shift depending on what the cell is doing. Immune cells changed their sugar layouts when activated, and cancerous tissues displayed distinct surface signatures compared to healthy tissue.

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