Question

Mucin present in saliva is:

• A. Mucoprotein
• B. Mucopolysaccharide
• C. Derived protein
• D. Monosaccharide

Answer 1

The correct option is (B):

Explanation of the correct option:

1. Saliva produced in the salivary gland has mucin as one of its component.
2. The mucin is a modified form of protein.
3. Mucin is produced by the glycosylation of the proteins.
4. Glycosylation is the process in which a carbohydrate is attached to the protein.
5. It is done inside the cells of the glands during the biosynthetic-secretory pathway in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus.
6. So, mucin is basically a protein that has been modified into mucoprotein by the Golgi apparatus.

Explanation of the incorrect options:

Option (A):

1. Mucin in the saliva is not a mucopolysaccharide component.
   
2. It is a mucoprotein in nature.

Option (C):

1. ​The mucin is made up of polysaccharide by joining of several monosaccharide units.
2. Hence, it is not a monosaccharide.
   

Option (D):

1. Mucoprotein is not a derived protein.
2. It is a modified protein.

Final Answer: Mucin present in saliva is mucoprotein.