Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates consisting of long chains of monosaccharide units. These long chains can be either branched or unbranched and serve various functions in living organisms.
Common polysaccharides include starch and cellulose.
Starch, a storage form of energy in plants, is composed of numerous glucose units. It is a major component of foods such as potatoes, rice, and wheat.
Cellulose, on the other hand, is a structural polysaccharide found in the cell walls of plants. It's also made of glucose units but has a different bonding pattern that makes it insoluble and tough, providing structural support to plants.
- **Features of Polysaccharides**:
- Long chains of sugar units
- Can be branched or unbranched
- Serve as energy storage or structural components