Design, synthesis and biological applications of glycopolypeptides.

Carbohydrates play essential structural and biochemical roles in all living organisms. Glycopolymers are attractive as well-defined biomimetic analogs to study carbohydrate-dependent processes, and are widely applicable biocompatible materials in their own right. Glycopolypeptides have shown great promise in this area since they are closer structural mimics of natural glycoproteins than other synthetic glycopolymers and can serve as carriers for biologically active carbohydrates. This review highlights advances in the area of design and synthesis of such materials, and their biomedical applications in therapeutic delivery, tissue engineering, and beyond.