What are glycolipids?

Glycolipids are molecules found on the surface of the cell membrane. Glyocoproteins are made of two parts : carbohydrates and and lipid molecules. Their functions are very diverse; they are involved in both cell signalling (eg they will bind to hormones and this will cause a change inside the cell) or they can play a role in cell adhesion (binding to other cells).

A carbohydrate molecule that has a lipid component attached to it

Glycolipids are lipids (special type of fat molecules) that have a carbohydrate attached to them. They are important molecules in the cell membrane of the cells because they ensure its stability and also have a key role in cellular recognition, important for the immune system. It also allows cells to connect to one another to form tissues!

Glycolipids are commonly found within the fluid mosaic structure of a cell membrane. They are a type of lipid (fat) which contain a carbohydrate (sugar) group, which is attached through a glycosidic bond. A glycosidic bond is a type of covalent bond (electron sharing between uncharged atoms), which takes the -OH from one molecule and the -H from another molecule to then connect these molecules through a singular bond to an oxygen atom that connects them. The leaving group is a water molecule.