Serum Hexosamine Levels in Health and Disease

Abstract

Hexosamine is a normal component of serum mucoprotein and its level may be regarded as an index of total mucoprotein which includes a, , and y globulins, fibrinogen, "seroglycoid," and cseromucoid." Interest in seromucoids was greatly enhanced when it was found by West and Clarke (1938) and others that in acute and chronic infec- tions, in malignancy, and in a number of endocrine disturbances, the hexosamine and inferentially the mucoid fractions increased above the normal range.