Cellulose, found exclusively in plants and a major component of plant cell walls, is composed of straight-chain b-D-glucose units joined by glycosidic linkage between C₁ of one unit and C₄ of the next. It serves a structural role in the ...

Starch, the main storage polysaccharide in plants, consists of two components: amylose (15-20%) and amylopectin (80-85%). Amylose is a water-soluble, unbranched chain polymer of a-D-glucose units linked by C₁– C₄ glycosidic linkage.

Polysaccharides primarily serve as food storage or structural materials. They are commonly encountered in nature due to their abundance and diverse roles.

Lactose, known as milk sugar, consists of b-D-galactose and b-D-glucose units with a linkage between C₁ of galactose and C₄ of glucose. Lactose exhibits reducing properties as a free aldehyde group may be produced at C-1 of the glucose unit.

Maltose is composed of two a-D-glucose units, linked from C₁ of one glucose to C₄ of another. It shows reducing properties due to the free aldehyde group produced at C₁ of the second glucose unit.