Glucose

Glucose is a <a href="/facts/Sugar/jb5KXRHT">sugar</a> with the <a href="/facts/Chemical_formula/hghUtthl">molecular formula</a> <a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">C</a>6<a href="/facts/Hydrogen/BoYHjl0J">H</a>12<a href="/facts/Oxygen/acyn6o8r">O</a>6, which is often abbreviated as Glc. It is overall the most abundant <a href="/facts/Monosaccharide/yzs2d6Eq">monosaccharide</a>, a subcategory of <a href="/facts/Carbohydrate/Geuuzxsf">carbohydrates</a>. It is mainly made by <a href="/facts/Plants/X5BMDMvS">plants</a> and most <a href="/facts/Algae/U1ftVKU3">algae</a> during <a href="/facts/Photosynthesis/TMV7w693">photosynthesis</a> from water and carbon dioxide, using energy from sunlight. It is used by plants to make <a href="/facts/Cellulose/wYPafTU0">cellulose</a>, the most abundant carbohydrate in the world, for use in <a href="/facts/Cell_wall/DYXJVrnw">cell walls</a>, and by all living organisms to make <a href="/facts/Adenosine_triphosphate/nB9bwgcU">adenosine triphosphate</a> (ATP), which is used by the cell as energy.
In <a href="/facts/Energy_metabolism/oslNljbx">energy metabolism</a>, glucose is the most important source of energy in all <a href="/facts/Organism/j8JkL09u">organisms</a>. Glucose for metabolism is stored as a <a href="/facts/Polymer/eF32E50K">polymer</a>, in plants mainly as <a href="/facts/Amylose/FJBcmQ2v">amylose</a> and <a href="/facts/Amylopectin/xPoJFo52">amylopectin</a>, and in animals as <a href="/facts/Glycogen/kWa8fPFE">glycogen</a>. Glucose circulates in the blood of animals as <a href="/facts/Blood_sugar/I4SkNzrm">blood sugar</a>. The naturally occurring form is d-glucose, while its <a href="/facts/Stereoisomerism/I3kzlDE8">stereoisomer</a> <a href="/facts/L-glucose/KsoBYXN9">l-glucose</a> is produced synthetically in comparatively small amounts and is less biologically active. Glucose is a monosaccharide containing six carbon atoms and an <a href="/facts/Aldehyde/xSIRkW03">aldehyde</a> group, and is therefore an <a href="/facts/Aldohexose/ooxIWuDL">aldohexose</a>. The glucose molecule can exist in an open-chain (acyclic) as well as ring (cyclic) form. Glucose is naturally occurring and is found in its free state in fruits and other parts of plants. In animals, it is released from the breakdown of glycogen in a process known as <a href="/facts/Glycogenolysis/cMXcNQKE">glycogenolysis</a>.
Glucose, as <a href="/facts/Intravenous_sugar_solution/YE6yRrJI">intravenous sugar solution</a>, is on the <a href="/facts/World_Health_Organization%2527s_List_of_Essential_Medicines/6kmu81Xm">World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines</a>. It is also on the list in combination with <a href="/facts/Sodium_chloride/MWcXl3Mb">sodium chloride</a> (table salt).
The name glucose is derived from <a href="/facts/Ancient_Greek/LIK7NlUh">Ancient Greek</a> γλεῦκος (gleûkos) 'wine, must', from γλυκύς (glykýs) 'sweet'. The suffix <a href="/facts/-ose/SeVpnc0c">-ose</a> is a chemical classifier denoting a sugar.

Glucose open-in-new

Glucose