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Glite Dictionary
mucopolysaccharide

mucopolysaccharide

9.9
A long sugar chain with amino parts in connective tissue like cartilage
  • noun
  • /ˌmjuːkoʊˌpɒlɪˈsækəraɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mucopolisacárido
  • The presence of mucopolysaccharides in the extracellular matrix helps maintain tissue hydration.

Examples

  • Cartilage is rich in a type of complex carbohydrate known as a mucopolysaccharide.

  • A matrix of these structures produces mucopolysaccharide and lactamase.

    Academic text (2002)

  • PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): Figure 1: Groups of myxoma cells embedded within an abundant acid mucopolysaccharide ground substance.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Mucopolysaccharides play a crucial role in the structure of mucopolysaccharide connective tissues.

Synonyms

polysaccharide
vsmucopolysaccharide
  • Specialized
2 7.0

Sugar units join together to form a long chain used for energy or structure in cells

is a specific kind with amino groups mainly in connective tissue

Surface Forms

mucopolysaccharide singular
mucopolysaccharides plural

Morphology

mucopolysaccharide = polysaccharide (opaque) = muco + poly + saccharide

The word is formed regularly by adding muco- to polysaccharide, but the result is a specialized biochemical term rather than an everyday meaning that most learners could easily infer.

Etymology

Mucopolysaccharide comes from parts: muco- meaning 'mucus', poly- meaning 'many', and saccharide meaning 'sugar'. These are long sugar chains found in mucus and connective tissue, so the name means 'mucus many-sugars'.