Glycogen is a polysaccharide that serves as the primary form of energy storage in animals and fungi. It's similar to starch but has more extensive branching.
If starch is like a standard battery pack, glycogen is like a high-capacity power bank. It stores more energy for when it's needed most, just like how a power bank holds more charge than a regular battery.
Glucose: The basic unit that makes up glycogen; it can be compared to the individual energy units stored in your power bank.
Glycogenesis: This is the process of glycogen synthesis, where glucose molecules are added to chains of glycogen for storage.
Glycogenolysis: This is the process of breaking down glycogen into glucose to provide immediate energy, much like using up the charge from your power bank when you need it.
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.