BRAINCAKEGlycogen
Glycogen is the energy-storage polysaccharide of animals and fungi. In humans it is stored as small granules, mainly in liver and muscle cells.
Like starch, glycogen is a polymer of α-glucose, with 1,4-glycosidic bonds in the chains and 1,6-glycosidic bonds at the branch points. It is similar to amylopectin, but more highly branched: a branch occurs about every 8 to 12 glucose units, compared with every 20 to 30 in amylopectin. The chains between branches are also shorter.
How the structure suits its function:
• Very branched, so there are many free ends. Enzymes remove glucose from these ends, so glucose can be released very rapidly. This suits animals, which are active and have high metabolic rates.
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Key terms in this lesson
- amylopectin
- A branched polysaccharide of alpha-glucose found in starch, with 1,4- and 1,6-glycosidic bonds, from which glucose is released rapidly.
More in Biological Molecules
- Test for Sugars
- Polysaccharides
- Starch
- Test for Starch
- Cellulose
- The Nature of Lipids
- Fatty Acids and Glycerol
- Triglycerides
All 25 lessons in Biological Molecules · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics