How are monosaccharides characterized?

Monosaccharides are characterized as single sugars, which are the simplest form of carbohydrates. They consist of a single sugar unit and cannot be hydrolyzed into smaller carbohydrates. Common examples include glucose, fructose, and galactose. These simple sugars serve as the basic building blocks for more complex carbohydrates such as disaccharides and polysaccharides.

In contrast, complex sugars, proteins, and fatty acids represent different classes of biological macromolecules. Complex sugars are made up of multiple monosaccharide units. Proteins are composed of amino acids and perform a wide variety of functions in the body, while fatty acids are components of lipids instead of sugars. Therefore, recognizing monosaccharides as single sugars is essential in understanding their fundamental role in biochemistry and cellular metabolism.