Cellulose is a polysaccharide that humans cannot digest and is a major component of what?

Cellulose is a polysaccharide that humans cannot digest and is a major component of what?

• A. Plant cell walls
• B. Animal connective tissue
• C. Bone matrix
• D. Muscle tissue

Answer: (A)

Cellulose is a structural carbohydrate in plants. Humans can’t digest it because we lack the enzyme (cellulase) needed to break the beta-1,4 glycosidic bonds between glucose units. This makes cellulose pass through the digestive system largely intact and function as dietary fiber. In plants, cellulose forms the rigid cell walls that give structure and support, so it is a major component of plant cell walls. The other options point to animal tissues—connective tissue, bone matrix, and muscle—which are not made of cellulose but of proteins and minerals.

Cellulose is a structural carbohydrate in plants. Humans can’t digest it because we lack the enzyme (cellulase) needed to break the beta-1,4 glycosidic bonds between glucose units. This makes cellulose pass through the digestive system largely intact and function as dietary fiber. In plants, cellulose forms the rigid cell walls that give structure and support, so it is a major component of plant cell walls. The other options point to animal tissues—connective tissue, bone matrix, and muscle—which are not made of cellulose but of proteins and minerals.