The chemical reactions and pathways resulting in the formation of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor that attaches some membrane proteins to the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. The phosphatidylinositol group is linked via the C-6 hydroxyl residue of inositol to a carbohydrate chain which is itself linked to the protein via an ethanolamine phosphate group, its amino group forming an amide linkage with the C-terminal carboxyl of the protein. Some GPI anchors have variants on this canonical linkage.

An enzyme complex that catalyzes the transfer of GlcNAc from UDP-GlcNAc to an acceptor phosphatidylinositol, the first step in the production of GPI anchors for cell surface proteins. The complex contains PIG-A, PIG-C, PIG-H, PIG-Q, PIG-P, and DPM2 in human, and Eri1p, Gpi1p, Gpi2p, Gpi15p, Gpi19p, and Spt14p in budding yeast.

The irregular network of unit membranes, visible only by electron microscopy, that occurs in the cytoplasm of many eukaryotic cells. The membranes form a complex meshwork of tubular channels, which are often expanded into slitlike cavities called cisternae. The ER takes two forms, rough (or granular), with ribosomes adhering to the outer surface, and smooth (with no ribosomes attached).

The part of the cytoplasm that does not contain organelles but which does contain other particulate matter, such as protein complexes.