BRAINCAKEGlycolipids
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.
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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.
More in Transport Across Cell Membranes
- Plasma Membrane
- Phospholipids
- Proteins
- Cholesterol
- Glycoproteins
- Fluid-mosaic Model
- Membrane Permeability
- Simple Diffusion
All 22 lessons in Transport Across Cell Membranes · All AQA AS-level Biology topics