Membranes are primarily composed of lipids and protein but also a

significant amount of carbohydrate.

Carbohydrates are convantly bonded to proteins and lipids in the
membrane.
Proteins with carbohydrates attached are called glycoproteins, while
phospholipids with carbohydrates attached are called glycolipids.
Membrane glycoproteins account for most membrane carbohydrate.
Glycoproteins are formed by a process called glycosylation.
There are two types of glycosylation:
N linked and O linked
N linked involves core carbohydrate structure attached to the
nitrogen of an asparagines residue.
O linked is the attachement via the hydroxyl group of either serine,
threonine, tyrosine, hydroxyproline, hydroxylysine or other
hydroxylated amino acids.
Glycoproteins are short oligosaccharides composed of a variety of
different monosaccharides which form straight or branched chains of
varying length.
Proteins are glycosylated with 90% of those being N linked and the
remainder O linked.
They are responsible in determining blood type as antigens ABO on
blood cells are usually cell-surface glycoproteins.
Their other functions include ion receptors, cell recognition and cell
signalling.
They are chemical pathways allowing ions to pass through the
membrane.
They stabilise the membrane by forming hydrogen bonds with the
water molecules around them.
They are the binding sites for hormones, drugs and antibodies.
Therefore they are involved in the immune response.