Used in biochemical research as a substrate to study enzyme activity, particularly for glycosidases and glycosyltransferases. It helps in understanding the mechanisms of carbohydrate metabolism and enzyme specificity. Also employed in the synthesis of complex carbohydrates and glycoconjugates for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Additionally, it serves as a reference compound in analytical techniques like chromatography and mass spectrometry for identifying and quantifying sugars in various samples.