Glúkósa

Glúkósa, also known as glucose, is a simple carbohydrate and a monosaccharide essential to most living organisms. Its molecular formula is C6H12O6, and it belongs to the family of aldohexoses. In nature, the biologically dominant form is D-glucose. In aqueous solution it exists in equilibrium between open-chain and cyclic forms, giving rise to α-D-glucose and β-D-glucose; this process is known as mutarotation.

Glúkósa is widely distributed in nature and is a primary energy source in many organisms. Plants synthesize glucose by photosynthesis, converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. In animals and humans, glucose is obtained from dietary carbohydrates or produced by gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis. After absorption in the small intestine, glucose is transported in the blood and taken up by cells via glucose transporters (GLUT family) or, in some tissues, by sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLT1). It is immediately phosphorylated to glucose-6-phosphate by hexokinase or glucokinase, entering glycolysis to yield ATP. Glucose can also enter the pentose phosphate pathway and, for storage, be polymerized to glycogen in liver and muscle.

Glúkósa is a reducing sugar and participates in various biosynthetic pathways, as well as in fermentation and food industries. Its significance is reflected in laboratory tests such as Benedict’s test and in clinical measurements of blood glucose, an important indicator of metabolic health. The term glucose derives from Greek glykys, “sweet,” with the -ose suffix used for sugars.