glycogen

glycogen
/gluy"keuh jeuhn, -jen'/, n. Biochem.
a white, tasteless polysaccharide, (C6H10O5)n, molecularly similar to starch, constituting the principal carbohydrate storage material in animals and occurring chiefly in the liver, in muscle, and in fungi and yeasts. Also called animal starch.
[1855-60; GLYCO- + -GEN]

* * *

Principal storage carbohydrate of animals, occurring primarily in the liver and resting muscles.

It is also found in various bacteria, fungi, and yeasts. Glycogen is a branched polysaccharide, a long chain of glucose units, into which it is broken down when energy is needed.

* * *

      white, amorphous, tasteless polysaccharide (C6H1005)n. It is the principal form in which carbohydrate is stored in higher animals, occurring primarily in the liver and muscles. It also is found in various species of microorganisms—e.g., bacteria and fungi, including yeasts. Glycogen serves as an energy reservoir, being broken down to glucose when needed.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Glycogen — is a polysaccharide of glucose (Glc) which functions as the secondary short term energy storage in animal cells. It is made primarily by the liver and the muscles, but can also be made by the brain, uterus, and the vagina. [Anatomy and Physiology …   Wikipedia

  • Glycogen — Gly co*gen, n. [Gr. ? sweet + gen: cf. F. glycog[ e]ne.] (Physiol. Chem.) A white, amorphous, tasteless substance resembling starch, soluble in water to an opalescent fluid. It is found abundantly in the liver of most animals, and in small… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • glycogen — glycogen. См. гликоген. (Источник: «Англо русский толковый словарь генетических терминов». Арефьев В.А., Лисовенко Л.А., Москва: Изд во ВНИРО, 1995 г.) …   Молекулярная биология и генетика. Толковый словарь.

  • glycogen — starch like substance found in the liver and animal tissue, 1860, from Fr. glycogène, sugar producer, from Gk. glykys “sweet” (see GLUCOSE (Cf. glucose)) + Fr. gène (see GEN (Cf. gen)). Coined in 1848 by French physiologist Claude Bernard… …   Etymology dictionary

  • glycogen — [glī′kə jən, glī′kəjen΄] n. [ GLYCO + GEN] a polysaccharide, (C6H10O5) x, produced and stored in animal tissues, esp. in the liver and muscles, and changed into glucose as the body needs it …   English World dictionary

  • Glycogen — Ausschnitt aus einem Glykogenpolymer Das Glykogen (auch Glycogen, tierische Stärke oder Leberstärke) ist ein verzweigtes Polysaccharid (Vielfachzucker), das aus Glucose Einheiten aufgebaut ist. Glykogen dient der kurz bis mittelfristigen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • glycogen — A glucosan of high molecular weight, resembling amylopectin in structure [with α(1,4) linkages] but with even more highly branched [α(1,6) linkages, as well as a small number of α(1,3) linkages], found in most of the tissues of the body,… …   Medical dictionary

  • glycogen — n. a carbohydrate consisting of branched chains of glucose units. Glycogen is the principal form in which carbohydrate is stored in the body: it is the counterpart of starch in plants. Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles and may be… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • glycogen — Branched polymer of D glucose (mostly a (1 4) linked, but some a (1 6) at branch points). Size range very variable, up to 105 glucose units. Major short term storage polymer of animal cells, and is particularly abundant in the liver and to a… …   Dictionary of molecular biology

  • glycogen —   n. form of carbohydrate stored in body, found especially in liver.    ♦ glycogenesis,   n. formation of sugar from glycogen.    ♦ glycogenic,    ♦ glycogenous, a …   Dictionary of difficult words

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”