1. Hydrolysis of Polysaccharides
Hydrolysis is the process of adding water to a polysaccharide molecule in order to break it down into smaller units.

2. Monosaccharides
Remember, we can take simple sugars, or monosaccharides,

3. Monosaccharides
And join two of these together…

4. Monosaccharides Disaccharides
To form double sugars, or disaccharides….

5. Monosaccharides Disaccharides
Dehydration
Synthesis
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
This process of forming disaccharides from monosaccharides is dehydration synthesis

6. Monosaccharides Disaccharides
Dehydration
Synthesis
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
Many disaccharide or monosaccharide units can also be joined together…

7. Polysaccharide Dehydration Synthesis Monosaccharides Disaccharides
To form polysaccharides…

8. Polysaccharide Dehydration Synthesis Dehydration Synthesis
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
Polysaccharide
Also, by the process of dehydration synthesis.

9. Polysaccharide Dehydration Synthesis Dehydration Synthesis
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
Polysaccharide
Now, we can also break down polysaccharides into disaccharides…

10. Polysaccharide Dehydration Synthesis Dehydration Synthesis
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
Polysaccharide
Hydrolysis
And this is done using the process of hydrolysis, or adding water.

11. Polysaccharide Dehydration Synthesis Dehydration Synthesis
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
Polysaccharide
Hydrolysis
Disaccharides and polysaccharides can also be broken down into monosaccharides…

12. Polysaccharide Dehydration Synthesis Dehydration Synthesis
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
Polysaccharide
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis
Using the process of hydrolysis.

13. Dehydration Synthesis is used to build larger molecules from smaller ones.
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
Polysaccharide
To summarize, dehydration synthesis is used to build larger molecules from smaller ones…

14. Hydrolysis is used to break down larger molecules into smaller ones.
Dehydration Synthesis is used to build larger molecules from smaller ones.
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
Polysaccharide
Hydrolysis is used to break down larger molecules into smaller ones.
And hydrolysis is used to break down larger molecules into smaller ones.

15. Starch
Let’s take a molecule of the polysaccharide starch.

16. Starch
And we’ll focus on the first part of the chain consisting of four subunits.

17. With the appropriate enzyme present, we can add (click) a molecule of water….

18. Hydrolysis
And using the process of hydrolysis, the starch molecule breaks apart and water is added…

19. The remainder of the starch molecule
Maltose
Hydrolysis
And now a maltose molecule has broken off of the large starch molecule. This breakdown of starch into maltose using hydrolysis, takes place in the mouth with the help of the enzyme salivary amylase.

20. A molecule of Maltose Maltose
Now we’ll consider this molecule of maltose.

21. Hydrolysis of Maltose
With the proper enzyme present, maltose can undergo (click) hydrolysis

22. Hydrolysis of Maltose
And as water is added, break up into…

23. Hydrolysis of Maltose Glucose Glucose
Two molecules of glucose. The breakdown of maltose to simple glucose molecules takes place in the small intestine.

24. As well as breaking down starch, the process of hydrolysis is also used to break glycogen down into glucose when a quick source of energy is needed for muscles.
As well as breaking down starch, the process of hydrolysis is also used to break glycogen down into glucose when a quick source of energy is needed for muscles.

25. As well as breaking down starch, the process of hydrolysis is also used to break glycogen down into glucose when a quick source of energy is needed for muscles.
Remember, our body does not possess the enzymes necessary to break cellulose down into glucose.
But remember, our body does not possess the enzymes necessary to break cellulose down into glucose.

26. Acknowledgements for Images Used
"Alpha-D-Glucopyranose" by NEUROtiker - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons -