When monosacharides link they join together in a condensation reaction and a glycosidic link is formed.
Disaccharides are formed from the condensation of two units of glucose by a glycosidic bond. They are again, sweet tasting and soluble in water, however they may not be reducing as in some types of Disaccharide there are no free electrons. .
Polysaccharides come in two main divisions. Structural Polysaccharides, in which the sugar unit residues present in long chain molecules of the polymer are straight and cross linkages between chains occur giving the material strength. The other division, Storage Polysaccharides, are used for storing sugar molecules so they are not used up immediately by the cells. The general properties are a contrast to both monosacharides and disaccharides as polysaccharides are non-sweet tasting and not truly soluble in water.
Starch is the most abundant storage chemical within plants and consequently is the single largest provider of energy for most of the world's population. Starch has the three properties that are necessary for a storage compound. It is compact, insoluble and readily accessible when needed. It is a mixture of two compounds, amylase and amylopectin. Glycogen is the human equivalent to starch as a storage carbohydrate. The structure is similar to amylopectin but is even more frequently branched. During frequent exercise when the immediate supply of glucose is used up the body restores its supplies by breaking down glycogen. .
Cellulose is an example of a structural polysaccharide, and it gives strength and rigidity to plant cell walls. Cellulose molecules are long unbranched chains of containing glycosidic linkages of B-glucose. The molecules are straight and lay side by side forming hydrogen bonds along their length. The result of which are strong bundles of chains called microfibrils that form a strong lattice arrangement.