Glycolipids from a colloid chemical point of view

Glycolipids are a group of compounds with a broad range of applications. Two types of glycolipids (alkylpolyglycosides and gangliosides) were examined with regard to their physicochemical properties. Despite their structural differences, they have in common that they are amphiphilic molecules and able to aggregate to form monolayers, bilayers, micelles, lyothropic mesophases or vesicles. The structures of glycolipid micelles were investigated by different experimental techniques in addition to molecular dynamic simulations. The knowledge of the physicochemical properties of gangliosides enables a better understanding of their biological functions. Structural features were obtained for the monosialogangliosides GM1, GM2 and GT1b from bovine brain by means of mass spectrometry. Further the aggregation behaviour was determined by small-angle neutron and dynamic light scattering experiments. Interaction studies of these compounds were carried out by means of surface plasmon resonance using gangliosides incorporated liposomes. They were used as model membranes that interact with the lectins WGA, RCA and HPA. The interaction of lectins immobilized to a modified silicon surface was investigated by in-situ ellipsometry.