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  1. Chitin - Wikipedia

    Chitin is a modified polysaccharide that contains nitrogen; it is synthesized from units of N -acetyl- D -glucosamine (to be precise, 2- (acetylamino)-2-deoxy- D -glucose). These units form …

  2. Chitin | Insects, Arthropods, Exoskeleton | Britannica

    Chitin, white, horny substance found in the outer skeleton of insects, crabs, and lobsters and in the internal structures of other invertebrates. It is a polysaccharide consisting of units of the …

  3. What Is Chitin? Definition and Uses - ThoughtCo

    Nov 14, 2019 · Chitin is a structural component of arthropod exoskeletons, fungi cell walls, mollusk shells, and fish scales. While humans don't produce chitin, it has uses in medicine and …

  4. What Is Chitin? Key Characteristics and Applications

    Aug 21, 2025 · Chitin is a natural substance found globally, serving as a fundamental structural material for many organisms. It is a complex carbohydrate, or polysaccharide, and is …

  5. What Is Chitin? Its Sources and Applications - ScienceInsights

    Nov 10, 2025 · Chitin is one of the most abundant and widespread organic materials produced by living organisms on Earth. This natural polymer is fundamental to the structural integrity of …

  6. Chitin - Definition, Function, Structure and Examples | Biology …

    Apr 27, 2017 · Chitin is a large, structural polysaccharide made from chains of modified glucose. Chitin is found in the exoskeletons of insects, the cell walls of fungi, and certain hard …

  7. Chitin - Ask Microbiology

    In fungal biology, chitin is a defining component of the cell wall, conferring rigidity, shape and osmotic protection.

  8. Chitin: Structure, Chemistry and Biology - PubMed

    Chitin is a linear polysaccharide of the amino sugar N-acetyl glucosamine. It is present in the extracellular matrix of a variety of invertebrates including sponges, molluscs, nematodes and …

  9. Chitin - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

    Chitin is the second most abundant natural polymer and is widely distributed as a structural component of crustaceans, insects, and other arthropods, as well as a component of the cell …

  10. Chitin: a comparison between its main sources - Frontiers

    Mar 4, 2025 · Chitin is the second most abundant polysaccharide on Earth, after cellulose, and it is mainly obtained from the shells of crustaceans. While chitin is currently derived from shrimp …