The snail glycosaminoglycan acharan sulfate (AS) is structurally related to heparan sulfates (HS) and has a repeating disaccharide structure of ␣-D-N-acetylglucosaminyl-2-O-sulfo-␣-L-iduronic acid (GlcNAc-IdoA2S) residues. Using the phage display technology, a unique antibody (MW3G3) was selected against AS with a V H 3, DP 47, and a CDR3 amino acid sequence of QKKRPRF. Antibody MW3G3 did not react with desulfated, N-deacetylated or N-sulfated AS, indicating that reactivity depends on N-acetyl and 2-O-sulfate groups. Antibody MW3G3 also had a high preference for (modified) heparin oligosaccharides containing N-acetylated glucosamine and 2-O-sulfated iduronic acid residues. In tissues, antibody MW3G3 identified a HS oligosaccharide epitope containing N-acetylated glucosamine and 2-O-sulfated iduronic acid residues as enzymatic N-deacetylation of HS in situ prevented staining, and 2-O-sulfotransferase-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells were not reactive. An immunohistochemical survey using various rat organs revealed a distinct distribution of the MW3G3 epitope, which was primarily present in the basal laminae of most (but not all) blood vessels and of some epithelia, including human skin. No staining was observed in the glycosaminoglycan-rich tumor matrix of metastatic melanoma. In conclusion, we have selected an antibody that identifies HS oligosaccharides containing N-acetylated glucosamine and 2-O-sulfated iduronic acid residues. This antibody may be instrumental in identifying structural alterations in HS in health and disease.Acharan sulfate (AS) 1 is a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) abundantly present in the giant African snail Achatina fulica (1). It largely consists of the repeating disaccacharide structure of 34)-␣-D-2-acetamido-2-deoxyglucopyranose(134)-␣-L-idopyranosyluronic acid-2-sulfate(13 and is closely related to heparan sulfates. AS is located in large granules present in the outer surface of the snail and is secreted onto the surface as mucus. This mucus consists of 26% proteins, and the GAG moiety is entirely formed by AS. Whether AS is present as a proteoglycan is unclear (2). The pattern of adjacent N-acetylglucosamine and 2-sulfoiduronic acid residues is unusual and suggests interesting biological activities. Among the proposed biological functions of AS in snails are binding, uptake, and transport of divalent cations and functioning as an antidesiccant (1). AS inhibits the mitogenic activity induced by basic fibroblast growth factor (3), angiogenesis (4), and tumor growth (5).To study the cell biological importance of specific HS epitopes and their location in tissue, single chain antibodies have been generated as described by our group (6 -9). These antibodies were selected against HS from various sources and stained differentially in tissues sections from various organs. Defined HS oligosaccharides were used to reveal details of the epitopes recognized by the antibodies (6). Although some chemical groups in HS essential for antibody reactivity could be determined, the oligosaccharide sequence...