Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates (literally hydrates of carbon) are chemical compounds that act as the primary biological means of storing or consuming energy, other forms being fat and protein. Relatively complex carbohydrates are known as polysaccharides. Carbohydrates are naturally produced by plants and animals. Sugars and starches are carbohydrates. A more precise definition of carbohydrates could be: Carbohydrates are polyhydroxyaldehydes, or polyhydroxyketones, and their derivatives.

Cellular function

Complex carbohydrates have been implicated in intercellular communication. Because of their high variability and elaborate branched structures, little has been understood about the method of action. In 2001, the National Institutes of General Medicine (NIGMS) established a long-term goal of understanding the underlying biological processes and awarded roughly $34 million to a constortium of US universities.

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