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Glycolipids

Glycolipids are made from phospholipids covalently bonded to a carbohydrate chain.The carbohydrate chain is on the outside of the cell and can act as a cell-surface receptor or antigen.Glycolipids also help maintain the stability of the cell and can be used as cell adhesion molecules.Glycolipids are also important in cellular recognition.Cellular recognition helps immune cells distinguish between self and non-self (foreign) cells.
Glycolipids are lipids attached to a carbohydrate chain by a glycosidic (covalent) bond.Glycolipids are found on the surface of all eukaryotic cell membranes, where they extend from the phospholipid bilayer into the extracellular environment.
The plasma membranes of animal cells contain glycolipids and cholesterol, which generally correspond to about 40% of the total lipid molecules.

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Specification: AQA Biology (7401), AS-level, 3.2.3 Transport across cell membranes. Topic: Transport Across Cell Membranes.

Key terms in this lesson

covalent bond
A strong chemical bond formed when a pair of electrons is shared between two atoms.
phospholipid
A lipid in which one fatty acid is replaced by a phosphate group, giving a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails.
eukaryotic cell
A cell that has a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
antigen
A protein or glycoprotein, usually on a cell surface, that is recognised as foreign by the immune system and triggers an immune response.

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