Microscopy Primer
Light and Color
Microscope Basics
Special Techniques
Digital Imaging
Confocal Microscopy
Live-Cell Imaging
Photomicrography
Microscopy Museum
Virtual Microscopy
Fluorescence
Web Resources
License Info
Image Use
Custom Photos
Partners
Site Info
Contact Us
Publications
Home

The Galleries:

Photo Gallery
Silicon Zoo
Pharmaceuticals
Chip Shots
Phytochemicals
DNA Gallery
Microscapes
Vitamins
Amino Acids
Birthstones
Religion Collection
Pesticides
BeerShots
Cocktail Collection
Screen Savers
Win Wallpaper
Mac Wallpaper
Movie Gallery

Polarized Light Microscopy Digital Image Gallery

Mannose

Mannose is a relatively uncommon natural simple sugar that is a stereoisomer of glucose. The saccharide is utilized for a variety of purposes, including commercial fermentation, the production of artificial sweeteners, and as an ingredient of fertilizers.

Mannose occurs in two different isomers known as mannopyranose and mannofuranose, which contain 6 carbon, 12 hydrogen, and 6 oxygen atoms per molecule and feature a melting point of 132 degrees Celsius. In nature, the saccharide is found in glycolipids and glycoproteins of certain plants, fungi, and bacteria in polymerized forms known as mannans, which act as food energy supplies. The enzyme hexokinase may phosphorylate mannans to form mannose-6-phosphate, a substance that isomerizes to fructose-6-phosphate before entering into the glycolysis or gluconeogenesis metabolic pathways.

Since mannose is natural, the United States Food and Drug Administration classifies the saccharide as a nutritional supplement rather than a drug. Yet, it is sometimes prescribed by doctors as a form of medical treatment. For instance, mannose, which is also marketed under the names seminose and carubinose, is often recommended for those suffering from urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli, a common gut bacteria. The reason mannose is an effective treatment for such infections is that the sugar coats the bacterial cells and makes them less inclined to stick to the lining of the urinary tract so that they may be readily flushed away with urine. Moreover, since mannose is absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract, the beneficial E. coli of the lower intestines are not affected.


BACK TO THE CHEMICAL CRYSTALS GALLERY

BACK TO THE POLARIZED LIGHT GALLERY

Questions or comments? Send us an email.
© 1998-2022 by Michael W. Davidson and The Florida State University. All Rights Reserved. No images, graphics, scripts, or applets may be reproduced or used in any manner without permission from the copyright holders. Use of this website means you agree to all of the Legal Terms and Conditions set forth by the owners.
This website is maintained by our
Graphics & Web Programming Team
in collaboration with Optical Microscopy at the
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Last modification: Friday, Nov 13, 2015 at 02:19 PM
Access Count Since January 23, 2004: 12253
All of the images in this gallery were captured with a QImaging Retiga camera system.
For more information on these cameras, use the button below to access
the QImaging website:
Visit the QImaging website.
For more information on microscope manufacturers,
use the buttons below to navigate to their websites: