cellulóza
Cellulóza (cellulose) is a natural polymer that forms the primary structural component of plant cell walls. It is the most abundant organic polymer on Earth, accounting for a significant portion of terrestrial biomass. The molecule is a linear homopolysaccharide composed of D-glucose units linked by β-1,4-glycosidic bonds, creating long, unbranched chains that can bundle into crystalline microfibrils. These microfibrils interact through hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces, giving plant tissues high tensile strength and rigidity while remaining chemically inert to many reagents.
In plants, cellulose is synthesized at the plasma membrane by cellulose synthase enzymes, using UDP-glucose as
Industrially, cellulose is obtained from wood pulp, cotton, and other plant sources. It has wide applications: