有些糖蛋白的糖基部分可以作为细胞识别位点。为了行使其功能，糖蛋白的寡糖部分必须要能以很多的种类存在。

• The carbohydrate portion of some glycoproteins may serve as a cellular recognition site. In order to perform this function, the oligosaccharide moiety of glycoproteins must have the potential to exist in a large variety of forms.