The structural basis of the glycocalyx is formed by oligosaccharide chains of membrane proteins (glycoproteins) and glycolipids in the outer sheet of the bilayer. The oligosaccharide dissociation leads to the emergence of numerous negatively charged groups. That is why the glycocalyx #1, #2, #3 is well stained by cationic dyes, for example, by ruthenium red. Some membrane glycoproteins and membrane-bound proteins show enzymatic activity and participate in metabolic transformations of substances directly near the cell surface.