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Lipopolysaccharides

lipid-containing polysaccharides which are endotoxins and important group-specific antigens. They are often derived from the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria and induce immunoglobulin secretion. The lipopolysaccharide molecule consists of three parts: lipid a, core polysaccharide, and o-specific chains (o antigens). When derived from escherichia coli, lipopolysaccharides serve as polyclonal B-cell mitogens commonly used in laboratory immunology.