Cellulose D- glucose is a chain polymer linked by β- 1 4 glycosidic bond. Its composition is (C6H 10O5) n, which is the main component of the cell wall of vascular plants, lichens and some algae. Cellulose was also found in vinegar vesicles and chordates. The purity of cotton seed cotton is high (98%). The so-called α -cellulose refers to the part that can not be extracted from the original cell wall intact cellulose standard sample with 17.5%NaOH. β -cellulose and γ -cellulose are celluloses corresponding to hemicellulose. Although α -cellulose is usually crystalline cellulose, β -cellulose and γ -cellulose contain various polysaccharides besides cellulose. Cellulose in the cell wall forms microfibers. The width is 10-30 nm and the length is several microns. By X-ray diffraction and negative staining, according to the observation of electron microscope, the crystalline parts of chain molecules arranged in parallel constitute basic microfibers with a width of 3-4 nanometers. It is speculated that these alkaline microfibers together constitute microfibers. Cellulose can be dissolved in Schwitzer reagent or concentrated sulfuric acid. Although it is not easy to hydrolyze with acid, dilute acid or cellulase can make cellulose produce D- glucose, cellobiose and oligosaccharide. Cellulose synthase (UDP forming EC 2.4.1.12) transfers glucoside from UDP glucose primer in Acetobacter to synthesize cellulose. Standard samples of granular enzymes with the same activity have been obtained in higher plants. This enzyme usually uses GDP glucose (GDP formation) EC 2.4. 1.29), and glucose is mixed with β- 1, 3 bond when it is transferred from UDP. The formation position of microfibers and the mechanism of controlling cellulose arrangement are not clear. On the other hand, as far as cellulose decomposition is concerned, it is estimated that when the primary cell wall is stretched and grown, a part of microfibers will be decomposed and become soluble due to the action of cellulase.

See data for chemical structure diagram.