Description

• General description: A mixture of type I (containing α-hydroxy fatty acid) and type II (containing non-hydroxy fatty acid) cerebrosides. Galactocerebroside (GalCer) is a glycosphingolipid, that consists of a single galactose residue, connected to ceramide . GalCer is present within the exofacial leaflet of the lipid bilayer.[1]
• Application: Galactocerebrosides from bovine brain has been used to find the receptor activity of surface-immobilized galactosylceramide.[2] It has also been used in sulfatide binding assay.[3]
• Biochem/physiol Actions: Galactocerebroside (GalCer) participates in the progression and maintenance of myelin.[1] This oligodendroglial lipid is used as an immunohistochemical tool for studying oligodendrocytes.[4]