An
oligosaccharide (from the Greek
olígos, "a few", and σάκχαρ
sácchar, "sugar") is a
saccharide polymer containing a small number (typically three to ten)() of
simple sugars (monosaccharides). Oligosaccharides can have many functions including cell recognition and cell binding. For example, glycolipids have an important role in the immune response.