In this rubric we present you scientific news from the world of chitin and chitosan. Monthly you can find recent publications. We hope to arouse your interest in this biopolymer or to help you out. If you have any comments or if you do chitin or chitosan research and you want to publish your article on this page,
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In microfluidic systems, analyses can be performed on a miniaturized scale without the use of complex laboratory equipment. In this context, DNA purification and concentration pose a particular challenge. To improve this, a disposable microfluidic device is functionalized with different chitosans for DNA binding in the presented study. This will then be used to detect eDNA of invasive species from river water samples.
Commercial extraction of chitin is mainly from the shells of crustaceans such as snow crabs. Fungi and insects are alternative sources of chitin, which are poorly usable so far. The expansion of insect farming for animal feed production in recent years has increased the availability of insect biomass. In the following, we present a review that provides an overview of recently published studies on the extraction of chitin from insects and its conversion to chitosan.
Biological assessment or testing of the biocompatibility of medical devices is an essential part of conformity assessment. But how do I properly and efficiently assess the biocompatibility of my medical device? The FDA has published new recommendations for assessing the biocompatibility of medical devices.
The corona virus disease COVID-19 has changed the world. To combat the pandemic, researchers and companies around the world are working to develop vaccines and medicines. Chitosan also has potential in the area of vaccine development and functionalization of protective equipment such as respirators. We have prepared summaries of recent publications on chitosan as an aid in the fight against corona.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a solid tumor that exhibits severe angiogenesis, cell cycle dysregulation, and evasion of apoptosis. Late diagnosis in a large proportion of patients is making the carcinomas inoperable, and various chemotherapeutic agents are used. Due to the numerous side effects of known chemotherapeutic agents, intensive research is performed on the use of natural products and their synthetic analogues. The authors of the presented study investigated the effect of carboxymethyl chitosan oligosaccharides on the growth of hepatocellular tumors in mice.
The global spread of SARS-CoV-2 can only be contained through vaccine development. Vector vaccines (DNA and viral) can be produced rapidly and inexpensively with current synthesis technologies. Challenges with DNA vaccines include degradation by DNases, inefficient uptake by antigen-presenting cells, and low immunogenicity. The Quil-A-loaded chitosan particulate adjuvant system (QAC) enables transport of plasmid DNA directly to target cells and delayed release over time. Here, we present two recent studies about chitosan-based delivery systems for vaccines.