Dolichols function as a membrane anchor for the formation of the oligosaccharide Glc3–Man9–GlcNAc2 (where Glc is glucose, Man is mannose, and GlcNAc is N-acetylglucosamine).

This oligosaccharide is transferred from the dolichol donor onto certain asparagine residues (onto a specific sequence that is "Asn–X–Ser/Thr") of newly forming polypeptide chains.

Dolichols are the major lipid component (14% by mass) of human substantia nigra (SN) neuromelanin.

Lastly, the α isoprenoid unit is saturated by α-saturase (still a hypothetical enzyme), and this α-saturated polyprenyl alcohol is known as dolichol.

[8] The Australian pharmaceutical company Solagran has been investigating the medical significance of polyprenols and their substitution with dolichols when ingested where there is a deficiency.