This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages without signing in

Glycoproteins

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Glycoproteins are molecules made from the combination of proteins and carbohydrates.

The Golgi body is the site of most glycoprotein formation which may be either:

  • O-linked glycosylation by addition of carbohydrate chains to serine or threonine amino acid residues
  • N-linked glycosylation by addition of carbohydrate chains to asparagine residues

Glycoproteins have a number of functions:

  • membrane bound:
    • glycocalyx - physical cellular protection
    • immune recognition
    • targetting of membrane-bound vesicles within the cell
    • cell receptors e.g. for LDL and ferritin
    • thyroglobulin, the storage form of thyroxine
    • extracellular matrix recognition molecules e.g. the integrins

  • free:
    • immunoglobulins
    • extracellular matrix components e.g. fibronectin
    • haemoglobin
    • synthetic plasminogen activating factor

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.