Any of a large class of long-chain sugar s composed of monosaccharide s.
Because the chains may be unbranched or branched and the monosaccharides may be of one, two, or occasionally more kinds, polysaccharides can be categorized in various ways. starch , glycogen , and dextran are all polysaccharides of glucose , with different configuration s. Pectin s are composed of a {{link=galactose">galactose derivative, chitin of a glucose derivative. Connective tissues, joint fluid, and cartilage contain two-component polysaccharides, including heparin . See also oligosaccharide .