Monosaccharide
Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrate. They form the basis of larger, more complex molecules such as disaccharides and oligosaccharides, which are formed in a dehydration reaction between two or more monosaccharides. Examples of monosaccharides include glucose and galactose, and they all share the generic formula Cx(H2O)y. They are classfied by the type of carbonyl group they contain; this being either a ketose (ketone group) or aldose (aldehyde group).
Many monosaccharides may form disaccharides (e.g. maltose) and polysaccharides (e.g. starch & glycogen) by condensation reactions, which form glycosidic bonds [1].
In Metabolism, the body absorbs Monosaccharides as Disaccharides and Polysaccharides are too large to be absorbed into the intestinal Epithelium. Therefore many Sugars go through a series of digestive processes before being able to be absorbed and accumulated within the body using Enzymes. Salivary amylase, pancreatic amylase and intestinal disaccharidases all contribute to the breakdown of polysaccarides to produce monosaccharides.
References
- ↑ Alberts, Johnson, Lewis, Raff, Roberts, Walter, (2008), Molecular biology of a cell, 5th edition, New York, Garland Science.
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