“Polysaccharides (Glycans)”  

Polysaccharide

  In carbohydrate science, Polysaccharides, as a biomacromolecules, are biopolymeric carbohydrate (saccharide) structures, formed of repeating units (either mono- or di-saccharides) joined together by glycosidic bonds.
  In carbohydrate science, when all the monosaccharides in a polysaccharide are the same type the polysaccharide is called a homopolysaccharide, but when more than one type of monosaccharide is present they are called heteropolysaccharides.
  Examples of some polysaccharides include:

polysaccharide derivatives proteoglycans homopolysaccharides (homoglycans) heteropolysaccharides (heteroglycans) chitosans glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) pectins polysaccharide functions (functional polysaccharides) storage polysaccharide structural polysaccharides Chitin chitosans cellular communication & energy polysaccharides sulfated polysaccharides Carrageenan

Alginates Bacterial Polysaccharides Ficoll Fructans Fungal Polysaccharides Galactans glucans beta-Glucans + Cellulose + Dextrans + Glycogen + Isomaltose Maltose Starch + Trehalose Mannans

Oligosaccharides Pentosan Sulfuric Polyester Plant Gums Plant Mucilage Sepharose xylans

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“Glycogens”  

Glycogen

  In carbohydrate science, Glycogen is a storage polysaccharide composed of large, highly branched chains of complex carbohydrate molecule composed entirely of glucose molecules linked to one another is a regular way. Glycogen can be either an α-1,4-glucan or α-1,6-glucan.
  In our body, Glycogen as a compact storage molecule functions as the secondary long-term energy storage in our cells. Glycogen can be quickly broken down when glucose is required. Glycogen is stored in liver and muscles.
  Examples of subsets, concepts, subjects and related entities of glycogen include:

• glycogen cycling
• glycogen synthesis
• glycogen breakdown

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“Starches”  

Starch

  In carbohydrate science, Starches are a group of storage polysaccharides composed of a long-chain polymers of glucose in which glucopyranose units are bonded by alpha-linkages.
  Starches is made up of a mixture of Amylose (15-20%) and Amylopectin (80-85%) of the general formula (C₆-H₁₀-O₅) in the form of amylose and amylopectin.

Starches are insoluble in water. They can be digested by hydrolysis, catalyzed by enzymes called amylases, which can break the alpha-linkages (glycosidic bonds).

In plants, Starches are the chief storage form of energy reserve (carbohydrates).
  Examples of subsets, concepts, subjects and other related entities of starches include:

amylopectins Amylose Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives Inulin

Dextrins Cyclodextrins alpha-Cyclodextrins beta-Cyclodextrins gamma-Cyclodextrins

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“Glycosaminoglycans (Mucopolysaccharides)”  

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG)

  In carbohydrate science, Glycosaminoglycans (Mucopolysaccharides, or GAGs) are long unbranched polysaccharide (relatively complex carbohydrates) consisting of a repeating disaccharide unit.
  In carbohydrate science, Glycosaminoglycans (Mucopolysaccharides, or GAGs) are heteropolysaccharides (heteroglycans), which contain an N-acetylated hexosamine in a characteristic repeating disaccharide unit involving alternatating 1,4- and 1,3-linkages consisting of either a N-Acetylglucosamine or a n-acetylgalactosamine.
  In carbohydrate science, most Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) contain sulfur and are important for body structures. Common GAGs include: chondroitin sulfate (cartilage), keratin sulfate (cartilage, bone, and cornea), dermatan sulfate (skin, tendons, lungs, blood vessels, heart valves), and heparin sulfate (cell membranes).

Hyaluronic acid is one type of GAG with a goo-like property, that is all carbohydrate and no sulfur. **

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“Hemicelluloses”  

Hemicellulose

  In carbohydrate science, Hemicelluloses are heteropolymers (matrix polysaccharides), present along with cellulose found embedded in most plant cell walls.
  As polysaccharides, Hemicelluloses include arabinoxylan, glucomannan, glucuronoxylan, xylan, and xyloglucan.
  Examples of some hemicelluloses include:

• arabinoxylans
• beta-glucans (β-glucans)
• glucomannans
• mannans
• xylans
• xyloglucans

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“Plant Gums”  

  In phytochemistry, Plant Gums are gummy mostly polysaccharide compounds derived from plant exudates.
  In phytochemistry, Plant Gums include tragacanth gum, karaya gum, chewing gum, gum arabic (acacia gum), and more. **

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“Polysaccharide Functions (Functional Polysaccharides)”  

Functional Polysaccharides (Polysaccharide Functions)

  In carbohydrate science, Functional Polysaccharides are polysaccharides used for storing energy, sending cellular messages, and for providing support to cells and tissues.
  Examples of some polysaccharide functions (functional polysaccharides) include:

• storage polysaccharide
• structural polysaccharides
  • Chitin
    • chitosans
• cellular communication & energy polysaccharides

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“Glucans”  

Glucan

  In organic chemistry, a Glucan is a homopolysaccharide, composed of repeating glucose units, consisting of branched or unbranched chains in any linkages.
  In carbohydrate science, a Glucan molecule is a polysaccharide of D-glucose monomers linked by glycosidic bonds.
  Examples of glucans as polysaccharide include:

glucan derivatives succinoglucans osmoregulated periplasmic glucans alpha-D-glucans beta-D-glucans amyloses dextrins glycogens lentinans lichenins (moss starches) nigerans starch (amylum) xyloglucan

alpha-Glucans dextrans + Glycogen + Pullulan starches + beta-glucans (β-glucans) cellulose (β-1,4-glucan) + Curdlan (β-1,3-glucan) Laminarin (β-1,3- and β-1,6-glucan) Chrysolaminarin (β-1,3-glucan) Lentinan (a purified β-1,6:β-1,3-glucan from Lentinus edodes) Lichenin (β-1,3- and β-1,4-glucan) Pleuran (β-1,3- and β-1,6-glucan isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus) Zymosan (β-1,3-glucan)

maltose isomaltose Trehalose

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“Arabinoxylans”  

Arabinoxylan

  In carbohydrate science, Arabinoxylans are Polysaccharides consisting of copolymers of two pentose sugars - arabinose and xylose (xylan).
  The arabinoxylan molecule contains a chain of 1,4-linked xylose units. Many xylose units are substituted with 2, 3 or 2,3-linked arabinose residues.
  Arabinoxylans are a type of hemicellulose, a copolymer, found in both the primary and secondary cell walls of plants, including woods and cereal grains, consisting of the two pentose sugars, arabinose and xylose. **

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