What is "globoside"

n. (context biochemistry English) A kind of glycosphingolipid with more than one sugar as the side chain (or R group) of ceramide.

A globoside is a type of glycosphingolipid with more than one sugar as the side chain (or R group) of ceramide. The sugars are usually a combination of N-acetylgalactosamine, D-glucose or D-galactose. A glycosphingolipid that has only one sugar as the side chain is called a cerebroside.

The side chain can be cleaved by galactosidases and glucosidases. The deficiency of α-galactosidase A causes Fabry's disease, an inherited metabolic disease characterized by the accumulation of the globoside globotriaosylceramide.