Scanning tunneling microscopic images show a laminated structure for glycogen molecules.
Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has been used to examine glycogen molecules. Individual molecules were approximately ellipsoidal with dimensions in the 20- to 60-nm range. Images of the glycogen molecular surfaces have a laminar appearance. The layered features seen on the surfaces of the molecules suggest that glycogen may grow from one edge as a laminar structure to form an ellipsoid rather than originating at a central point with radial growth of the oligosaccharide chains to form a sphere. The results of these studies indicate that STM can be used to determine details of polysaccharide structures.
Yang
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Center for Interfacial Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
Miller
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Yang
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Evans
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Edstrom
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D000818:Animals; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D008112:Liver Glycogen; D016252:Microscopy, Scanning Tunneling / Q000379:methods; D011817:Rabbits
D008112:Liver Glycogen