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Dictionary » C » Cellulose

Cellulose

Definition

noun

(1) A polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of β (1→4) linked D-glucose units: (C6H10O5) n.

(2) The fibrous carbohydrate found in the cell walls of green plants, some algae and oomycetes. It provides strength and rigidity to plant cells.


Supplement

The cellulose is a straight chain polymer of carbohydrates. Unlike starch, it lacks coiling and it forms a rather rigid, rod-like conformation.

Humans cannot digest cellulose but a dietary fiber that serves as a hydrophilic bulking agent in feces. In some animals like ruminants cellulose is digestible because they have symbiotic microorganisms in their guts that help digest cellulose.


Word origin: French, from cellule (biological cell).
Related form: cellulosic (adjective)

Related terms:


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Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic

... in here), the plants, the fungi or mushrooms and the animals (including humans as well). Plant and algal cells have cell walls which contain cellulose, while fungal cell have cell walls with chitin. Animal cells have never any kind of cell wall. Major difference between most plant and animal ...

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by SteveYst
Wed Oct 03, 2012 1:39 pm
 
Forum: Cell Biology
Topic: Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic
Replies: 3
Views: 6053

Re: I want quick help

The steel rods or bars in concrete resemble cellulose fibrils of plant cell walls whereas the cement represents pectin and (I guess) hemicellulose.

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by Adz795
Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:11 pm
 
Forum: Botany Discussion
Topic: I want quick help
Replies: 5
Views: 1843

Photosysnthesis

... The tree releases the oxygen atoms back into the air and forms the carbon atoms into a six carbon simple sugar ring which is a building block for cellulose." It's been a while since I was at school, but this seems wrong to me. The "dark phase of photosynthesis" especially. But maybe ...

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by davidtrees
Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:00 am
 
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Photosysnthesis
Replies: 10
Views: 3942

THE ONLY KINGDOM TO HAVE CELL WITHOUT CELL WALL?

Eukaryotes: Animalia - No cell wall Plantae - Cellulose Fungi - Chitin Protoctista - Sometimes a cell wall, polysaccharide Prokaryotes: Bacteria - Peptidoglycan Archaea - Sometimes a cell wall, but never peptidoglycan If you accidentally had Caps ...

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by billyfisher100
Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:26 pm
 
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: THE ONLY KINGDOM TO HAVE CELL WITHOUT CELL WALL?
Replies: 2
Views: 2160

Re: fructose as a monomer for a polysaccharide

... if forced but in nature steric interactions between sugars prevent those other hydroxyl groups from being used. In other sugars like maltose and cellulose steric interactions don't exist and so there are additional hydroxyl groups that can be used. Does that make sense now? Please see the pictures ...

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by daniel.kurz
Tue Nov 22, 2011 11:44 pm
 
Forum: Cell Biology
Topic: fructose as a monomer for a polysaccharide
Replies: 9
Views: 5437
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