CARBOHYDRATES Flashcards
(25 cards)
What are carbohydrates?
Are organic compounds, polyhydroxy aldehyde or ketone or their derivatives on hydrolysis.
- How are carbohydrates classified?
Classification of Carbohydrates: Divided based on the number of sugar units—monosaccharides (1 unit), disaccharides (2 units), oligosaccharides (3-10 units), polysaccharides (many units)
What is a monosaccharide?
Monosaccharide: Simplest carbohydrate; single sugar unit that cannot be further hydrolyzed (e.g., glucose, fructose).
Describe the structure of glyceraldehyde
- Glyceraldehyde: Simplest aldose; an intermediate in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways.
What is the significance of dihydroxyacetone?
- Dihydroxyacetone: Simplest ketose; plays a role in lipid metabolism.
Explain the function of erythrose in metabolism.
Erythrose: Tetrose sugar; involved in the pentose phosphate pathway, a pathway important for NADPH production.
What role does ribose play in nucleic acids?
Ribose: Pentose sugar; a component of RNA, essential for genetic material and energy transfer in cells (ATP)
Differentiate ribose from ribulose
Ribose vs. Ribulose: Ribose is an aldose (aldehyde group); ribulose is a ketose (ketone group).
What is the importance of xylose?
Xylose: Pentose; a building block in plant cell walls and a precursor for certain biomolecules.
Describe xylulose and its function
Xylulose: Involved in the pentose phosphate pathway, contributing to cellular metabolism
What are the main functions of glucose in the body?
Glucose: Most important monosaccharide; main energy source for cells, especially the brain and red blood cells.
How does galactose differ from glucose
Galactose: Hexose; found in milk (as part of lactose); converted to glucose in the liver
Why is fructose considered a ketohexose?
Fructose: Ketohexose; found in fruits and honey; metabolized primarily by the liver.
Describe the structure and function of mannose
Mannose: Hexose; important for glycoprotein synthesis, especially in immune system function.
What is a disaccharide?
Disaccharide: Carbohydrates composed of two monosaccharides linked by a glycosidic bond (e.g., sucrose, lactose).
List the three main disaccharides and their components
- Main Disaccharides:
Maltose: Glucose + Glucose
Lactose: Glucose + Galactose
Sucrose: Glucose + Fructose
What is a polysaccharide
Polysaccharide: Large carbohydrate molecules; long chains of monosaccharides (e.g., glycogen, starch).
What is the phenomenon of inversion?
Inversion: Change in optical rotation, especially seen when sucrose (dextrorotatory) is hydrolyzed into glucose and fructose.
Define oligosaccharides and their functions.
Oligosaccharides: Chains of 3-10 monosaccharides; function in cell recognition and signaling.
What are glycogen’s primary functions?
Glycogen: Animal storage form of glucose; highly branched; found in liver and muscles.
Compare glycogen and starch.
- Glycogen vs. Starch:
Glycogen: Found in animals, highly branched.
Starch: Found in plants, moderately branched
Explain the difference between homopolysaccharides and heteropolysaccharides
- Homopolysaccharides vs. Heteropolysaccharides:
Homopolysaccharides: Only one type of monosaccharide (e.g., glycogen).
Heteropolysaccharides: More than one type of monosaccharide (e.g., hyaluronic acid).
What are dextrins, and where are they found?
Dextrins: Short chains of glucose formed during starch breakdown; used in adhesives and as thickening agents.
Describe the structure of dextrans
Dextrans: Branched glucose polymers; used in medicine as plasma expanders to treat blood loss.
