Besides glycogen, what are the storage and quick-energy forms of carbohydrates found in animals and how are these form structurally related to each other?
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "carbohydrate forms animals" to get these possible sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate
http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=61
http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/1biochem/carbo5.html
http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/540carbohydrates.html
In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search.
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
Besides glycogen, another storage form of carbohydrates found in animals is called starch. Starch is predominantly found in plants, but some animals, such as certain insects and mollusks, can store starch in their tissues. Structurally, starch is similar to glycogen as they are both polysaccharides, which means they are composed of multiple glucose molecules linked together.
Starch is composed of two main components: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose is a linear chain of glucose molecules held together by α-1,4-glycosidic bonds. Amylopectin, on the other hand, is a highly branched polymer of glucose molecules connected by both α-1,4-glycosidic bonds and α-1,6-glycosidic bonds. This branching structure gives amylopectin a more compact and insoluble nature compared to amylose.
In contrast to the storage forms of carbohydrates, animals also have a quick-energy form called glucose. Glucose is a monosaccharide and the primary sugar used by organisms to generate energy. It is the end product of carbohydrate digestion and is transported through the bloodstream to fuel cells' energy needs. Structurally, glucose consists of a six-carbon ring, and its chemical formula is C6H12O6. Glucose can be derived from the breakdown of glycogen or starch through enzymatic processes in the body.
To summarize, while glycogen and starch serve as storage forms of carbohydrates in animals, glucose functions as the quick-energy form. Structurally, glycogen and starch are composed of glucose molecules, while glucose itself is a monosaccharide with a specific ring structure.