Used in biochemical research as a key intermediate in carbohydrate metabolism studies, particularly in glycosylation pathways. Serves as a substrate for enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of complex carbohydrates and glycoconjugates. Commonly employed in enzymatic assays to investigate mannosyltransferase activity and in the development of metabolic engineering strategies for producing glycoproteins. Also utilized in cell-free systems for synthesizing oligosaccharides and in studies related to congenital disorders of glycosylation.