Alves N M, Mano J F
3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Dept. of Polymer Engineering, University of Minho, Caldas das Taipas, Guimarães, Portugal.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2008 Dec;43(5):401-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2008.09.007. Epub 2008 Sep 16.
Chitosan is a natural based polymer, obtained by alkaline deacetylation of chitin, which presents excellent biological properties such as biodegradability and immunological, antibacterial and wound-healing activity. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the chemical modification of chitosan in order to improve its solubility and widen its applications. The main chemical modifications of chitosan that have been proposed in the literature are reviewed in this paper. Moreover, these chemical modifications lead to a wide range of derivatives with a broad range of applications. Recent and relevant examples of the distinct applications, with particular emphasis on tissue engineering, drug delivery and environmental applications, are presented.
壳聚糖是一种天然聚合物，通过甲壳素的碱性脱乙酰作用获得，具有优异的生物学特性，如生物可降解性以及免疫、抗菌和伤口愈合活性。近来，人们对壳聚糖进行化学改性以提高其溶解性并拓宽其应用范围的兴趣与日俱增。本文综述了文献中提出的壳聚糖的主要化学改性方法。此外，这些化学改性产生了一系列具有广泛应用的衍生物。文中还介绍了不同应用的最新相关实例，尤其着重于组织工程、药物递送和环境应用方面。
