Organization of the synthesis of glycolipid oligosaccharides in the Golgi complex

Abstract

Glycolipids constitute a complex family of amphipathic molecules structurally characterized by ahydrophilic mono- or oligo-saccharide moiety linked to a hydrophobic ceramide moiety. Due totheir asymmetric distribution in cell membranes, exposing the saccharide moiety to the extracytoplasmicside of the cell, glycolipids participate in a variety of cell?cell and cell?ligand interactions.Here we summarize aspects of the cell biology of the stepwise synthesis of the saccharide moiety inthe Golgi complex of cells from vertebrates. In particular we refer to the participant glycosyltransferases,with emphasis on their trafficking along the secretory pathway, their retention and organizationin the Golgi complex membranes and their dependence on the Golgi complex ultra structuralorganization for proper function.