: Commonly found in fruits and honey; it is sweeter than glucose and follows a different metabolic pathway in the liver. 2. Structural Features Hexoses can shift between two main structural forms:
. They are the primary energy source for most living organisms and serve as fundamental building blocks for larger carbohydrates like starch and cellulose. hexose
: The most abundant sugar in nature and the main fuel for cellular respiration. : Commonly found in fruits and honey; it
: Found in dairy products; it must be converted to glucose in the liver to be metabolized. Ketohexoses : Contain a ketone group ( ), typically at the second carbon position. They are the primary energy source for most
Hexoses are primarily classified by their functional groups: : Contain an aldehyde group ( −CHOnegative cap C cap H cap O ) at the end of the carbon chain.