The liver stores excess glucose as which polysaccharide?

Prepare for the Life Span and AandP Test with detailed questions covering growth, development, human anatomy, and physiology. Understand concepts with hints and explanations to ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

The liver stores excess glucose as which polysaccharide?

Explanation:
Glucose storage in animals is in the form of glycogen, a highly branched polysaccharide that serves as a quick-release reservoir. In the liver, glycogen helps maintain blood glucose levels between meals; when glucose is needed, glycogen can be rapidly broken down to release glucose into the bloodstream. Its branched structure—built from glucose units linked mainly by alpha-1,4 bonds with frequent alpha-1,6 branches—allows many enzymes to work at once for fast mobilization. In contrast, starch is the plant storage form, cellulose provides structural support in plants, and chitin is a structural polysaccharide found in some invertebrates and fungi.

Glucose storage in animals is in the form of glycogen, a highly branched polysaccharide that serves as a quick-release reservoir. In the liver, glycogen helps maintain blood glucose levels between meals; when glucose is needed, glycogen can be rapidly broken down to release glucose into the bloodstream. Its branched structure—built from glucose units linked mainly by alpha-1,4 bonds with frequent alpha-1,6 branches—allows many enzymes to work at once for fast mobilization. In contrast, starch is the plant storage form, cellulose provides structural support in plants, and chitin is a structural polysaccharide found in some invertebrates and fungi.

More Multiple Choice Questions
Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy