Chitin is the chemical component of the cell walls of fungi.
All these cell-wall materials, including chitin, are made from carbohydrate molecules called polysaccharides. The cell wall protects fungi and allows them to survive unfavorable conditions such as extreme heat, cold and lack of water.
What cells are chitin found in?
Chitin is the second most abundant natural polymer after cellulose. Chitin occurs in the structural components of arthropod exoskeletons or in the cell walls of fungi and yeast [42].
What does chitin contain?
Chitin is a modified carbohydrate for containing nitrogen. It is made up of a linear polymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine monomers (C8H13O5N) n»1. Similar to cellulose, the monomers are linked to each other by β(1→4) glycosidic bond.
