POLYSACCHARIDES
- If many monosaccharides are joined together through condensation, a polysaccharide is formed
- Polysaccharides may consist of hundreds or even thousands of monosaccharide units
- Examples of polysaccharides:
- Starch – storage material in plants
- Glycogen is a storage carbohydrate in animals like starch, but has longer chains
- Isulin – a storage carbohydrate in some plants e.g. Dahlia
- Cellulose – structural carbohydrate in plants
- Chitin – forms exoskeleton in arthropods
Importance and Functions of Polysaccharides
- They are storage carbohydrates – starch in plants glycogen in animals
- They are hydrolysed to their contituent monosaccharide units and used for respiration
- They form structural material e.g. cellulose makes cell walls
- Cellulose has wide commercial uses e.g.
- Fibre in cloth industry
- Cellulose is used to make paper
- Carbohydrates combine with other molecules to form important structural compounds in living organisms
Examples are:
Pectins: Combine with calcium ions to form calcium pectate
Chitin: Combine with (NH) group
Makes the exoskeleton of arthropods, and walls of fungi.
Also See:
WATER RELATIONS IN PLANT AND ANIMAL CELLS