Complex carbohydrates

• Glucose and other monosaccharides

  Monomers used to make polymers known as polysaccharides
• Polysaccharides


  Polymers made from many monomers, used for energy storage and for making cellulose for cell walls
• Formation of a glycosidic bond

  1. Addition of glucose to the growing end of a polysaccharide chain

  2. Formation of a 1,4 glycosidic bond between C1 and C4
• If all the glucose monomers are added in this way an unbranched chain is formed
• Formation of a branching point

  1. Adding a glucose monomer to carbon 6 on a growing chain

  2. Formation of a 1,6 glycosidic bond
• Energy storage polysaccharides


  • Amylose
  • Amylopectin
  • Glycogen
• Amylose and amylopectin


  Forms of starch
• Glycogen


  Very similar to amylopectin but has more 1,6 glycosidic bonds and more branches, sometimes called 'animal starch'
• The three energy storage polysaccharides are made from glucose monomers
• Cellulose


  A long chain molecule made from ẞ glucose monomers, not used for energy storage but for making the cell walls of plants