Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The glycocalyx is a layer of carbohydrates that coats the exterior surface of the cell membranes, primarily in animal cells. It plays a critical role in cell-to-cell recognition, communication, and adhesion.
A biological membrane that separates the interior of all cells from the outside environment which provides structure and regulates what enters and leaves the cell.
Cell Adhesion: The process by which cells interact and attach to a surface, substrate, or another cell, facilitated by interactions at the cell surface such as those involving the glycocalyx.
Organic compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that serve as key sources of energy for metabolism and are involved in many roles such as structural components in cells like those making up the glycocalyx