Natural polymers (Polysaccharides)

Polysaccharides

Saccharides are called carbohydrates. Relatively complex saccharides or carbohydrates are called Polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are polymeric structures in which the repeating units are monosaccharides or dissacharides.

Monosaccharides are simple sugar example glucose, fructose, galactose etc.

Monosaccharides.

Two monosaccharides undergoes condensation reaction with the elimination of simple molecules like water to give dissacharides. 

Example

Dissacharide.

The monosaccharides in Polysaccharides are linked via glycosidic bond in which the oxygen atom is bridge between two carbon rings.

A Polysaccharide may be homo-polysaccharide in which all the monosaccharides are identical or hetero- Polysaccharides in which the monosaccharides are different. Polysaccharides may also be linear or branched.

Polysaccharide is a source of energy and food, it also provide support to tissues and cells, it sends cellular messages etc.
(Check out Nucleic acid)

Polysaccharide.