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While it was believed that humans could not digest chitin for a long time, chitinase has recently been discovered in human gastric juice. So, humans can digest chitin. Other organisms like plants, fish, and other fungi can also digest chitin, although not all other organisms can.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoAccording to Wikipedia, humans have some ability to digest chitin. They have a gastric chitinase (in their stomach). Other animals that eat fungi and arthropods or detritis on the forest floor have other chitinases. Fungi have chitin in their cell walls instead of cellulose that plants have.
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Is chitin necessary to digest shrimp tails?
Chitin is the hard substances that forms the outside of shrimp (and shrimp tails). So, you would have to digest that in order to digest the shrimp tail, because that's what it's made of. However, it's not the enzyme or other substance needed to digest the chitin.
Can glycogen be digest?
Glycogen can be digested by humans. Chitin and Cellulose, also knows as fiber, can not be digested by humans.
What makes chitin and cellulose edible?
They both are edible because they come from plants and animals. While Chitin and Cellulose are edible, they are very hard to digest. But they are filled with dietary fibers so they will enhance bowel movements.
What is the name of the polysaccharide that is found in the cell walls of fungi and the exoskeletons of arthropods?
Chitin is the polysaccharide found in the cell walls of fungi and the exoskeletons of arthropods.
The exoskeleton of an arthropod is?
composed of chitin
Do fish scales contain chitin?
Chitin
The cell walls of fungi are made from what?
The cell walls of fungi are made up of the glucosamine polymer chitin. The chitin of the fungal cell walls contain nitrogen.
From what language do you get the word chitin?
"chitin" comes from the French word "chitine", meaning the same substance, chitin.
Is cellulose indigestible?
Yes, it is. Though some animals such as termites can digest cellulose, we humans can't. Cellulose is the thing that gives plants their structural integrity. Contrary to some other polysaccharides like starch, it is connected through b-bonds. Only certain bacteria can break those bonds to digest the polymer, and humans don't have these bacteria. Another indigestible polysaccharide is Chitin. The shells of crabs and lobsters are made of Chitin, among other things.
What type of molecule is a chitin?
Chitin is polymerized N-acetylglucosamine.
Chitin is an example of what?
chitin is an example of a carbohydrate
Which carbohydrate is found in the exoskeleton of insects and crabs?
chitin
