1.17 Structural Polysaccharides

• Cellulose

  • Linear homopolysaccharide with β(1🡪4) glycosidic bond
  • Contains up to 5000 glucose units with molecular mass of 900,000 amu
  • Humans do not have enzymes that hydrolyze β(1🡪4) linkages and so they cannot digest this
• Chitin

  • Function is to give rigidity to the exoskeletons of crabs, lobsters, shrimp, insects, and other arthropods