What are polysacharides?

Question

How are they digested in the body, and what can our body use them for?

Answer 1

Polysaccharides are also called glycanthe form in which most natural carbohydrates occur. Polysaccharides may have a molecular structure that is either branched or linear. Linear compounds such as cellulose often pack together to form a rigid structure; branched forms (e.g., gum arabic) generally are soluble in water and make pastes.

Polysaccharides composed of many molecules of one sugar or one sugar derivative are called homopolysaccharides (homoglycans). Homopolysaccharides composed of glucose include glycogen and starch, the storage carbohydrates of animals and plants respectively;and cellulose (q.v.), the important structural component of most plants. Preparations of dextran, a glucose homopolysaccharide found in slimes secreted by certain bacteria, are used as substitutesfor blood plasma in treating shock. Other homopolysaccharides include pentosans (composed of arabinose or xylose) from woods, nuts, and other plant products; and fructans (levans) composed of fructose, such as inulin from such roots and tubers as the Jerusalem artichoke and dahlia. Mannose homopolysaccharides occur in ivory nuts, orchid tubers, pine trees, fungi, and bacteria. Pectins, found in fruits and berries and used commercially as gelling agents, consist of a derivative of galacturonic acid (itself a derivative of the sugar galactose). The repeating unit of chitin, a component of the outer skeleton of arthropods (e.g., insects, crustaceans) is N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, a compound derived from glucose; shells of arthropods such as crabs and lobsters contain about 25 percent chitin. It is also found in certain structures of annelid worms, mollusks, and other invertebrate groups (e.g., jellyfishes, bryozoans, nematodes, and acanthocephalans). The cell walls of most fungi also are chitin. Chitin in nature is linked to protein.

Polysaccharides consisting of molecules of more than one sugar or sugar derivative are called heteropolysaccharides (heteroglycans). Most contain only two different units and are associated with proteins(glycoproteins; e.g., gamma globulin from blood plasma, acid mucopolysaccharides) or lipids (glycolipids; e.g., gangliosides in the central nervous system). Acid mucopolysaccharides are widely distributed in animal tissues. The basic unit is a so-called mixed disaccharide consisting of glucuronic acid linked to N-acetyl-d-glucosamine. The most abundant mucopolysaccharide, hyaluronic acid from connective tissue, is also the major component of joint fluid (synovia) and occurs in the soft connective tissue (Wharton's jelly) of the umbilical cord of mammals. Glucuronic acid linked to N-acetyl-d-galactosamine is the repeating unit of chondroitin sulfate, a heteropolysaccharide found in cartilage. Heparin, a heteropolysaccharide related to the acid mucopolysaccharides, has anticoagulant properties and is present in connective and other tissues.

Complex heteropolysaccharides occur in plant gums such as gum arabic from Acacia and gum tragacanth from Astragalus. Most contain glucuronic acid and various sugars. Produced after either mechanical damage to bark (a method used in commercial production) or an attack on the bark by certain bacteria, insects, or fungi, plant gums are used in the arts (gum arabic) and as an adhesive agent and emulsifying agent (gum tragacanth). Heteropolysaccharides also occur in bacterial cell walls.

Answer 2

Polysaccharides are polymers of monosaccharides. Polysaccharides are formed by three or more monosaccharides, for example Amylose (starch), Amylopectin, Glycogen (animal storage polymer), Cellulose, etcPolysaccharides (sometimes called glycans) are relatively complex carbohydrates.
Amylose, or starch, is a helical chain of Glucose monomers, which are bonded by glycosidic linkages (Alfa linkages 1 - 4). Amylose is a storage polysaccharide in plant cells, we can obtain Amylose from potatoes. Humans can use Amylose as an energy source by hydrolysis of the polymer using specific enzymes (organic substances that accelerate or retard the biochemical reactions).



Amylopectin is the branched starch, and it can also be used by humans as a primary energy source.

















Glycogen is the storage polysaccharide for animals. It is also known as "animal starch" because of its similitude with Amylopectin molecules, but Glycogen is more branched than Amylopectin. Besides, Glycogen molecules are tighter than Amylopectin molecules. Humans can use Glycogen as an energy source by hydrolysis of the polymer using specific enzymes (organic substances that accelerate or retard the biochemical reactions).
















They are polymers made up of many monosaccharides joined together by glycosidic links. They are therefore very large, often branched, molecules. They tend to be amorphous, insoluble in water, and have no sweet taste.

When all the constituent monosaccharides are of the same type they are termed homopolysaccharides; when more than one type of monosaccharide is present they are termed heteropolysaccharides.

Examples include storage polysaccharides such as starch and glycogen and structural polysaccharides such as cellulose and chitin.

Polysaccharides have a general formula of Cn(H2O)n-1 where n is usually a large number between 200 and 2500. The general formula can also be represented as (C6H10O5)n where n=100-3000.

Answer 3

polysacharides are polymeric forms of sacharides like glucose, fructose, galactose, to name a few. The three most commonly known are cellulose, almidon and glycogen( the last two are two different forms of glucose polymers, in plants and animals, respectively) .Almydon and Glycogen are easily digested by animal enzymes( amilase, glycosidase, both porduced by the panchreas), and converted in the monomers( glucose) end dymers, allowing the intestinal cells to incorporate them. Cellulose is virtually indegestible for animnal enzymes. Ruminants take advatange of their large pre-stomach( rumen), having a large microflora of bacterial and protozoaric organsims to digest the cellulose via enzimatic fermentation.

Answer 4

Polysaccharides (sometimes called glycans) are relatively complex carbohydrates.

They are polymers made up of many monosaccharides joined together by glycosidic links. They are therefore very large, often branched, molecules. They tend to be amorphous, insoluble in water, and have no sweet taste.

When all the constituent monosaccharides are of the same type they are termed homopolysaccharides; when more than one type of monosaccharide is present they are termed heteropolysaccharides.

Examples include storage polysaccharides such as starch and glycogen and structural polysaccharides such as cellulose and chitin.

Answer 5

polysacharides are carbohydrates which have to be hydrolysised more than tree times to get a monosacharide or simple carbohydrate. [disacharide twice and trisacharide thrice]

polysacharides are broken by amylase into matose which by the enzyme maltase are turned into glucose

Answer 6

polysaccharides r polymers of monosaccharides i. e. complex carbohydrates.for understanding digestion & assimilation of polysaccharides go through any 10+2 biology book u will find all in detail with diagrams
good luck

Answer 7

Also known as complex carbohydrates. Its a molecule comprised of more than two monosaccharides (simple sugars) bonded together.
(two monosaccharides bonded together is called a disaccharide)

Answer 8

Complex Carbohydrates

for more info look in Wikipedia

Answer 9

Consumed by. Hydrolysis uses water to break down bonds.

Answer 10

They are complex carbohydrates. They are composed of hundreds of monosaccharides.