glykolipidanker
glykolipidanker, or glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors, are carbohydrate–lipid structures that tether specific proteins to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. They are found in eukaryotes ranging from yeast to humans and mediate a variety of cellular functions such as signal transduction, cell adhesion, and immune recognition.
The core structure of a GPI anchor consists of a phosphatidylinositol lipid linked to a glycan chain
Biosynthesis of GPI anchors occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum. It begins with the synthesis of the phosphatidylinositol–N‑acetylglucosamine
GPI‑anchored proteins frequently localize to lipid rafts, specialized microdomains enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids. This positioning