Question

fill in the blank question
blank attached to proteins stick out from the plasma membrane to define the cell’s characteristics and help cells identify chemical signa
need help? review these concept resources.
read about the concept

Explanation:

In cell biology, glycoproteins (with carbohydrates/sugars attached to proteins) on the plasma membrane act as cell - surface markers. These carbohydrate chains (oligosaccharides) attached to membrane proteins (glycoproteins) or lipids (glycolipids) are called glycocalyx components. The carbohydrates attached to proteins (as part of glycoproteins) stick out from the plasma membrane. They help in cell recognition, defining the cell's characteristics (like cell - type specific markers), and also help cells identify chemical signals (like in cell - cell communication or recognition of signaling molecules). So the molecule attached to proteins that sticks out from the plasma membrane for these functions is carbohydrates (specifically the oligosaccharide chains in glycoproteins).

Answer:

Carbohydrates