Chitin

In biology, chitin (pronounced keye-tin) is one of the main components in the cell walls of fungi, the exoskeletons of insects and other arthropods, and in some other animals. It is a polysaccharide, made out of units of acetylglucosamine (more completely, N-acetyl-D-glucos-2-amine). These are linked together in β-1,4 fashion, the same as the glucose units that make up cellulose. So chitin may be thought of as cellulose, with one hydroxyl group on each monomer replaced by an acetylamino group. This allows for increased hydrogen bonding between adjacent polymers, giving the material increased strength. The strength and flexibility of chitin is the reason it is the material of choice for surgical thread.

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"Chitin" and "chiton" (a marine animal) both derive from the same Greek word meaning "tunic", referring to the hardness of the shell.

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In the honeybee the color of chitin may be yellow, golden, brown or black.

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From chitin chitosan can be produced.

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Cell wall: A cell wall is a more or less solid layer surrounding a cell. They are found in bacteria, archea, fungi, plants, and algae. Animals and most other protists have cell membranes without surrounding cell walls. When a cell wall is removed using cell wall degrading enzymes, what is left of the cell and ...

Fungi: REDIRECT Fungus...

Exoskeleton: An exoskeleton, in contrast to an endoskeleton, is an external anatomical feature that supports and protects an animal's body. Many invertebrate animals such as insects, crustaceans and shellfish have exoskeletons. Lobsters, for example, have tough outer shell systems which provide rigidity and shap...