Glycolipids

fatty substances containing carbohydrates. The main representatives of glycolipids are the cerebrosides (which are characteristic of nerve tissue) and the gangliosides (which are observed in nerve ganglions and are characteristic of cellular membranes, especially the membranes of erythrocytes). Glycolipids consist of the diatomic saturated alcohol sphingosine, the hexatomic carbohydrate hexose (galactose or glucose), a fatty acid with 24 carbon atoms, and sialic acid.