Abstract
Mono-tailed glycolipids consisting of a sugar moiety and a single alkyl chain are effective stabilizer for
maintaining protein activities during both freeze-thawing and freeze-drying processes. In order to understand
the stabilizing mechanism, the behaviors of mono-tailed glycolipid under freezing of ice and desiccation
have been investigated. In this review article, four topics in terms of mono-tailed glycolipids were
summarized as following: The behaviors in (1) single component system, (2) water system with and without
freezing and (3) electrolyte-water system with freezing and (4) the maintaining effect on enzyme activity of
L-lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) during freeze-thawing and freeze-drying processes. In these topics, the glass
formation of mono-tailed glycolipid have been mainly focused as a novel key functionality.
