Glycoproteins & Glycolipids
- Glycoproteins are cell membrane proteins that have a carbohydrate chain attached on the extracellular side
- Extracellular = outside cells
- Glycolipids are lipids with carbohydrate chains attached, also located on the outer surface of cell membranes
The function of glycoproteins and glycolipids
- The carbohydrate chain enables them to act as receptor molecules
- This allows them to bind with substances at the cell surface
- Receptor types include:
- Signalling receptors which bind to hormones and neurotransmitters
- Receptors involved in endocytosis
- Receptors involved in cell adhesion and stabilisation
- Cell adhesion allows cells to attach to each other to form tissues
- Some act as cell markers, or antigens, for cell identification
- E.g. this allows the immune system to determine whether or not a cell belongs in the body, or whether it is a pathogen
Glycoproteins and glycolipids diagram
Glycoproteins are carbohydrate chains attached to membrane proteins and glycolipids are carbohydrate chains attached to the lipid element of the cell membrane
