Carbohydrates Flashcards
What do all polysaccharides have in common?
They contain many (more than 10) monosaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds.
Most carbohydrates found in nature occur as?
polysaccharides, polymers of medium to high molecular weight (Mr >20,000).
Polysaccharides, also called ……….?
Glycans
How do polysaccharides differ from each other in the identity of their recurring monosaccharide units?
- The lengths of their chains,
- Types of bonds linking the monosaccharide units,
- The degree of branching.
Polysaccharides are classified into?
Homopolysaccharides and Heteropolysaccharides
Differentiate between the classes of polysaccharides
Homopolysaccharides are formed by the same kind of monosaccharides; eg’s starch, glycogen and cellulose. Each of them are formed by hundreds of molecules of glucose linked by glycosidic bonds.
On the other hand, the polysaccharide molecules of heteropolysaccharides are formed by different kinds of monosaccharides.
Examples of heteropolysaccharides
- Hyaluronic acid
- Chondroitin sulfate
- Heparin
- Keratan sulfate
- Dermatan sulfate.
What is hyaluronic acid formed from?
It is formed by thousands of alternating units of N-acetyl glucosamine and glucuronic acid.
What are inulins?
Inulins are polymers composed mainly of fructose units, and typically have a terminal glucose.
Why is inulin not digested by enzymes in the human GIT?
Because of the β(2,1) linkages
List features of inulin
Inulins are polymers composed mainly of fructose units, and typically have a terminal glucose.
They are linked by β(2,1) glycosidic bonds.
Standard inulin is slightly sweet
It is soluble in water.
What is the application of inulin in Renals?
Used to determine glomerular filtration rate (kidney fxn)
Classify polysaccharides on the basis of structure/linkages of the monosaccharides
i) Branched polysaccharides
ii) Unbranched/Linear polysaccharides
Amylose and cellulose and cellulose are examples of ………?
Unbranched/Linear polysaccharides
Examples of branched polysaccharides are?
Starch and glycogen
Non digestible polysaccharides include:
Fibres; Soluble fibre and Insoluble fiber
Digestible polysaccharides include
Starch (Amylose, Amylopectin)
Glycogen
Characteristics of starch
- 3000 monosaccharides
- Contain alpha bonds
- High Glycemic Index