Cellulose

Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula (C6H10O5)
n, a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to many thousands of β(1→4) linked D-glucoseunits.^[3][4] Cellulose is an important structural component of the primary cell wall of green plants, many forms ofalgae and the oomycetes. Some species of bacteria secrete it to form biofilms.^[5]Cellulose is the most abundant organic polymer on Earth.^[6] The cellulose content of cotton fiber is 90%, that ofwood is 40–50% and that of dried hempis approximately 45%.^[7][8][9]

Cellulose is mainly used to producepaperboard and paper. Smaller quantities are converted into a wide variety of derivative products such ascellophane and rayon. Conversion of cellulose from energy crops intobiofuels such as cellulosic ethanol is under investigation as an alternative fuel source. Cellulose for industrial use is mainly obtained from wood pulp andcotton.^[6]

Some animals, particularly ruminantsand termites, can digest cellulose with the help of symbiotic micro-organisms that live in their guts, such asTrichonympha. In humans, cellulose acts as a hydrophilic bulking agent for fecesand is often referred to as a "dietary fiber".