Galactosan

/ɡəˌlæktɔˈseɪn/ noun

Definition

A polysaccharide composed of galactose units, found in various organisms and used in biochemical research.

Etymology

From 'galactose' (milk sugar) + '-an' (a suffix for polysaccharides), naming a polymer made of linked galactose molecules.

Kelly Says

Scientists use galactosan as a model polymer to study how cells recognize and respond to different sugars—understanding these 'sugar signatures' is key to fighting infections since bacteria and viruses have different sugar coatings.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.