Toward creating cell membrane glyco-landscapes with glycan lipid constructs.

Synthetic glycolipid-like constructs dispersible in biological media and capable of incorporating into cell membranes have the ability to create novel artificial glyco-landscapes on living cells. Using a variety of different glycans ranging from disaccharides to polysaccharides, together with different lengths and high hydrophilicity spacers, we created a series of synthetic glycolipid-like constructs. Contacting these constructs with live cells gave modified cells with controlled glycan density and/or altered biological function. The ability to also use these constructs as solutions to inhibit antibodies, toxins, and virions extends the potential diagnostic and therapeutic uses for these synthetic glycolipid-like constructs.