Definition of glycogen Glycogen

/glajˈkʌʤɪn/ - [glaykujin] - gly•co•gen

We found 6 definitions of glycogen from 6 different sources.

What does glycogen mean?

Noun Plural: glycogens
glycogen - one form in which body fuel is stored; stored primarily in the liver and broken down into glucose when needed by the body
		animal starch
		polyose, polysaccharide any of a class of carbohydrates whose molecules contain chains of monosaccharide molecules

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glycogen (Noun)
A polysaccharide that is the main form of carbohydrate storage in animals; converted to glucose as needed.

glycogen (n.)
A white, amorphous, tasteless substance resembling starch, soluble in water to an opalescent fluid. It is found abundantly in the liver of most animals, and in small quantity in other organs and tissues, particularly in the embryo. It is quickly changed into sugar when boiled with dilute sulphuric or hydrochloric acid, and also by the action of amylolytic ferments.

glycogen
glī′kō-jen, n. animal starch, a substance first discovered by Claude Bernard in the human liver—when pure, a white, amorphous, tasteless powder, insoluble in alcohol. [Formed from Gr. glykys, sweet, genēs, producing.]

Glycogen (commonly known as animal starch although this name is inaccurate) is a polysaccharide that is the principal storage form of glucose in animal cells.

Glycogen is found in the form of granules in the cytosol in many cell types, and plays an important role in the glucose cycle. Glycogen forms an energy reserve that can be quickly mobilized to meet a sudden need for glucose, but one that is less compact than the energy reserves of triglycerides. Only the glycogen stored in the liver can be made accessible to other organs.