homopoliszacharidák

Homopoliszacharidák are a class of carbohydrates composed of only one type of monosaccharide unit linked together by glycosidic bonds. These are also known as homopolysaccharides. The specific monosaccharide and the type of glycosidic linkage determine the properties and functions of the homopolysaccharide. Common examples include starch, glycogen, and cellulose.

Starch is a storage polysaccharide found in plants, serving as a primary energy reserve. It is composed of glucose units and exists in two forms: amylose, which is linear, and amylopectin, which is branched. Glycogen is the storage polysaccharide in animals and fungi, also made of glucose units, and it is highly branched, allowing for rapid release of glucose when energy is needed.

Cellulose, another glucose-based homopolysaccharide, forms the structural component of plant cell walls. Its linear structure and beta-glycosidic linkages make it very strong and resistant to hydrolysis, providing rigidity to plants. Unlike starch and glycogen, humans cannot digest cellulose due to the lack of enzymes to break down its beta-glycosidic bonds. Inulin is another homopolysaccharide, composed of fructose units, found in certain plants and used as a dietary fiber. The arrangement and bonding of these simple sugar units create complex and vital biological molecules.