Knowra Glycogen Glycogen Glycogen is a branched polymer of glucose that stores carbohydrate in animals and fungi. Its branches allow enzymes to release glucose rapidly when energy is needed.
Glycogenesis : Glycogenesis is the enzymatic synthesis of glycogen from glucose units. This pathway builds the polymer when glucose is available for storage.
Liver glycogen : Liver glycogen is the glycogen reserve in hepatocytes, used chiefly to help maintain blood glucose between meals. Liver stores can supply glucose to the circulation, unlike most muscle stores.
Glucose : Glucose is a six-carbon sugar that serves as a major cellular fuel and metabolic building block. Repeated glucose units form glycogen’s chains and branches.
Starch : Starch is the principal glucose-storage polysaccharide in plants, composed of amylose and amylopectin. It is the plant counterpart to glycogen, with less frequent branching in amylopectin.
Glycogenolysis : Glycogenolysis is the breakdown of glycogen into glucose-1-phosphate and, in some tissues, free glucose. This pathway releases stored carbohydrate when cells or the body need fuel.
Muscle glycogen : Muscle glycogen is the glycogen reserve in skeletal muscle, used locally to support contraction. Its glucose fuels working muscle rather than directly maintaining blood glucose.
Glycosidic bond : A glycosidic bond is a covalent linkage connecting a sugar’s anomeric carbon to another group. Glycogen’s α-1,4 and α-1,6 bonds determine its chain and branch structure.
Amylopectin : Amylopectin is a branched glucose polymer and a major component of plant starch. Its α-1,6 branches resemble glycogen’s, but occur less frequently.
Glycogen phosphorylase : Glycogen phosphorylase is an enzyme that removes glucose residues from glycogen by phosphorolysis. It cleaves the polymer’s outer chains during glycogen breakdown.
Glycogen granule : A glycogen granule is a cytoplasmic particle containing glycogen and associated proteins and enzymes. Granules organize the polymer with machinery for its synthesis and mobilization.
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