Figure 3.13 The most common disaccharides: sucrose (C12H22O11), lactose (C12H22O11), and maltose (C12H22O11). Art by OpenStax College – CC-BY
Polysaccharides are macromolecules composed of repetitive units of the same building block, monosaccharides, similarly to a pearl necklace is composed of many pearls. We can also define polysaccharides as polymers assembled from many smaller covalently bonded monomers. As
shown in the Figures and Table below, three important polysaccharides in living organisms are glycogen, starch and cellulose. Glycogen and starch are used as energy stores in animal and plant cells respectively, while cellulose provides structural support in plants and fiber to our diets.
Anatomy and Physiology Preparatory Course Textbook 2nd Ed. | Carlos Liachovitzky | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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