Cellulose Flashcards
1
Q
What is cellulose?
A
Major component of cell walls in plants
2
Q
What is cellulose made from?
A
Long, unbranched chain of B glucose, joined by 1,4 glycosidic bonds
3
Q
What makes the cellulose chains straight?
A
The straight glycosidic bonds
4
Q
What are microfibrils and where are they found?
A
Between 50 and 80 cellulose chains are linked together by a large number of hydrogen bonds to form strong threads called microfibrils. The strong threads mean cellulose provides structural support
5
Q
Describe the structure of a cellulose cell wall.
A
- Cellulose is a chain of B glucose
- Cellulose chains held together by hydrogen bonds
- Strong threads of microfibrils forms a matrix of cellulose chains
