The major glycolipid recognized by SP-D in surfactant is phosphatidylinositol.

Surfactant protein D (SP-D), a multimeric calcium-dependent lectin isolated from pulmonary alveolar lavage, has been previously shown to interact reversibly with crude surfactant. In this study, SP-D is shown to interact reversibly with a preparation of organelles enriched in lamellar bodies, in a manner inhibited by calcium-chelating agents and by competing saccharides