Dglukóza

D-glucose is a simple sugar, specifically a monosaccharide, with the molecular formula C6H12O6. It is one of the most important carbohydrates in biology, serving as a primary source of energy for living organisms. In humans and many other animals, glucose is the main sugar found in the blood and is the immediate source of energy for cells. It is also a key building block for many polysaccharides, such as starch, glycogen, and cellulose.

Glucose exists in both linear and cyclic forms. In aqueous solutions, it predominantly exists in a cyclic hemiacetal form due to an intramolecular reaction between the aldehyde group and a hydroxyl group. The D-isomer refers to the configuration of the hydroxyl group on the fifth carbon atom, which is on the right side in a Fischer projection. This D-configuration is the naturally occurring form in most biological systems.

The primary sources of glucose for most organisms are dietary carbohydrates, which are broken down into glucose during digestion. Plants produce glucose through photosynthesis, converting light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. Glucose is metabolized through cellular respiration, a process that generates adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main energy currency of the cell. Insulin is a hormone that plays a crucial role in regulating blood glucose levels, facilitating glucose uptake by cells and its storage as glycogen.

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