Carbohydrates Overview and Types

Study Notes

Carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio.
Carbohydrates make up 2-3% of total body mass.
They include sugars (like glucose), glycogen (energy storage in liver and muscles), starch (energy storage in plants), and cellulose (plant fiber).

Monosaccharides: Simple sugars with 3-7 carbon atoms. Examples include glucose, fructose, galactose, ribose, and deoxyribose.
Disaccharides: Formed from two monosaccharides joined by dehydration synthesis. Examples include sucrose (glucose + fructose), lactose (glucose + galactose), and maltose (glucose + glucose).
Polysaccharides: Long chains of monosaccharides joined together by dehydration synthesis. Examples include glycogen (animal energy storage), starch (plant energy storage), and cellulose (plant structural component).

A process where a water molecule is added to break down a disaccharide or polysaccharide into its individual monosaccharides.

A process where a water molecule is removed to bond two monosaccharides into a disaccharide or a polysaccharide.

Energy source: Carbohydrates provide energy for cellular metabolism via ATP production.
Energy storage: Glycogen is the storage form in animals, and starch is the storage form in plants.
Structural component: Carbohydrates are part of the DNA and RNA structure.
Cell Recognition: Carbohydrates can act as receptors on cell surfaces for cell recognition and communication.

ATP production: Glucose is oxidized to produce ATP (energy).
Amino acid synthesis: Glucose can be used to build various amino acids.
Glycogen synthesis: Glucose can be stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
Triglyceride synthesis: Excess glucose can be converted to glycerol and fatty acid to form triglycerides for storage in adipose tissue.