Carbohydrates

Abstract

Carbohydrates and their derivatives are among the most essential organic compounds of the biosphere. They occur as early products of photosynthesis, and are the major source of energy for living organisms, accounting for over 60% of their energy requirements. Carbohydrates exist in living organisms in combined forms, being associated with proteins, lipids and nucleic acids, and constitute intricate high molecular complexes which form the basis of living matter. They are incorporated in the cells in forms of various derivatives, and are functionally involved in the structure, energy- and growth-regulating processes of all living organisms.