Team:Exeter/Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides are chains of monosaccharides (or sugars) linked by glycosidic bonds, ranging in length from just two joined sugars (a disaccharide) to many thousands. Variations in structure can also lead to linear or branched chains, or determine whether it is a storage polysaccharide or a structural polysaccharide.

Storage polysaccharides

Storage polysaccharides are used for, well, energy storage! Starches are a type of storage polysaccharide we are familiar with (in potatoes, rice...), and store energy until they are broken down by our digestive systems. Polysaccharides are ideal energy storage molecules as they are very long carbohydrates and therefore insoluble in water; they are also highly flexible so perfect for transportation and can be broken down very easily to release the stored energy. Being insoluble in water maintains a cell's equilibrium as no chemical or osmotic reaction is required by the cell.

Glycogen is another, and is found in almost all animal cells, principally the liver and muscles. When the body has recieved no food, the energy stored in Glycogen is released in the form of glucose.

Structural polysaccharides

Structural polysaccharides are polysaccharides found to form the structure of organisms. For example, cellulose forms the basis of cell walls in plants and chitin forms the structural component of exoskeletons. These polysaccharides have huge uses and applications in industry, Cellulose for example forming the basis of wood-and by proxy paper and cotton are nearly pure samples.