Abstract
The unparalleled structural diversity of carbohydrates among biological molecules has been recognized for decades. Recent studies have highlighted carbohydrate signaling roles in many important biological processes, such as fertilization, embryonic development, cell differentiation and cellȁ4cell communication, blood coagulation, inflammation, chemotaxis, as well as host recognition and immune responses to microbial pathogens. In this chapter, we summarize recent progress in the establishment of carbohydrate-based microarrays and the application of these technologies in exploring the biological information content in carbohydrates. A newly established photochemical platform of carbohydrate microarrays serves as a model for a focused discussion.