What is Polysaccharides?

Polysaccharides:  Many monosaccharide subunits can be joined to form long, complex polysaccharide molecules. These complex sugars are often used to store energy. In humans and other animals, sugars are stored in the form of glycogen, a large molecule made up of many sugars that can easily be broken down by hydrolysis. Hydrolysis refers to the breakdown of a molecule by the addition of water molecules to the bonds between monosaccharides, the reversing of a condensation reaction. Food in the form of glycogen can be easily mobilized for use in various metabolic processes.

In many plants, such as corn, potatoes, and rice, food is stored in the form of the polysaccharide starch. Another polysaccharide, cellulose, gives plant cell walls their rigidity.