Biology Forum Cell Biology Biological Functions of…

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    • #11542
      Asanii
      Participant

      Hi,

      I was hoping someone could help me with the biological functions of Carbohydrates…

      I know that Monosaccharides are for use as fuel but what would be another function?
      Discaccharides are used to synthesize larger carbohydrates but what would be a second function?
      and last Polysaccharides are energy storage molecules in animals but I need two more functions.

      Any help is greatly appreciated! 🙂

    • #91807
      MrMistery
      Participant

      monosaccharides can also be alosteric regulators (think of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate in glycolysis) and so can disaccharides (think of lactose in the lac operon). Polysaccharides have a structural role in the cell wall of plants (cellulose) and fungi (poly-N-acetylglucosamine), they are important for cell adhesion (in cell junctions), they are important in the immune system (a lot of antigens are actually sugar molecules) etc.

    • #91815
      Asanii
      Participant

      Thank you very much, that makes more sense 😉 I have a bad habit of over thinking things

    • #91817
      kolean
      Participant

      Just wanted to add that proteins incorporate many sugars for signaling purposes: either glycoproteins or proteoglycans. For example: Secretory vesicles in the Golgi cisterna use mostly mannose, galactose, and NAG (N-Acetlyglucosamine) to make the necessary glycoproteins for export.

      Oh, and all those glycoproteins and glucosamines in the extracelluar matrix: albeit mucus!!!! :mrgreen:

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