Glukosen

Glukosen, known in English as glucose, is a simple monosaccharide with the chemical formula C6H12O6. It is an aldohexose, containing six carbon atoms and an aldehyde group, and occurs in multiple stereoisomeric forms. In aqueous solution glucose mainly exists as cyclic hemiacetals called alpha-D-glucopyranose and beta-D-glucopyranose; mutarotation allows interconversion between these forms. Glukosen is a reducing sugar.

Glukosen is produced by photosynthesis in plants and is a principal metabolite in animals. It is the main source of energy for many cells; dietary carbohydrates are digested to glucose, which is absorbed in the small intestine via the SGLT1 transporter and then transported into the bloodstream by GLUT transporters. Tissues take up glucose through glucose transporters and metabolize it through glycolysis to generate ATP. The liver and muscles store excess glucose as glycogen. Blood glucose levels are tightly regulated by hormones, primarily insulin and glucagon.

Industrially, glucose is produced from starch by hydrolysis and serves as a building block for many products; it is commonly used to produce high-fructose corn syrup by isomerization. It also plays a role in fermentation and as a sweetener in foods and beverages. Medically, glucose solutions are used for intravenous hydration and energy supply, and glucose tolerance tests help assess carbohydrate metabolism. Glukosen exists in several stereoisomeric forms, with D-glucose being the most common in nature.