glycoprotein
Meaning of glycoprotein: A glycoprotein is a protein molecule with one or more sugar chains attached, which influence its shape, stability, and function.
Definition of glycoprotein
A glycoprotein is a protein that has one or more carbohydrate chains, or sugar groups, chemically attached to it. This attachment, called glycosylation, occurs as part of normal cell processing and can influence a protein's three-dimensional shape, stability, and how it interacts with other molecules.
Glycoproteins serve many roles throughout the body, including forming parts of cell surfaces, where they participate in cell recognition and communication, and circulating in blood, where some serve as hormones, antibodies, or other signaling molecules. Certain glycoproteins are used clinically as markers, since changes in their levels or structure can be associated with specific diseases.
Because the attached sugar chains can vary between individuals and between health and disease states, glycoproteins are of particular interest in research examining how these differences relate to disease processes.
Used in a sentence
The laboratory measured levels of a specific glycoprotein used as a disease marker.
Good to know
The carbohydrate portion of a glycoprotein can affect its function and how it is recognized by the immune system, which is one reason glycoprotein structure, not just its protein sequence, is relevant to disease and treatment research.
Word origin
Where “glycoprotein” comes from
Formed from glyco-, from Greek glykys, meaning "sweet," and protein, from Greek proteios, meaning "of primary importance."