Properties and Applications of Polysaccharides

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomacromolecules, Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024 | Viewed by 1019

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Interests: polymers from renewable resources; natural polymers; biopolymers; biodegradable polymers; biobased polymers; polysaccharides; starch; cellulose; chitosan; chitin; alginate; protein; gelatin; polymer processing; polymer engineering; food engineering; food packaging; polymer physics; polymer blends; polymer composites; polymer nanocomposites; sustainable materials; smart materials; stimuli-responsive materials; biomaterials; functional materials; films; edible films; coatings; aerogels; hydrogels; bioplastics; polyurethane; processing–structure–property relationship; 3D printing; rheology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polysaccharides are a large family of polymers that are composed of long chains of monosaccharide units (simple sugars) linked together through glycosidic bonds. Because of the diversity of monosaccharides, polysaccharides are also diverse. Cellulose, starch, chitin/chitosan, glycogen, hyaluronic acid, agarose, alginate, xanthan gum, pectin, and dextran are some examples of polysaccharides. They are found in all living organisms and play a vital role in many biological processes. Polysaccharides are also used in a wide range of industrial applications, including food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, biomedicine, and environmental remediation, thanks to their diverse and versatile properties and their renewable nature.

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers, scientists, and professionals to present their latest findings, cutting-edge research, and innovative applications related to polysaccharides. We welcome original research articles and reviews that delve into the fundamental understanding of the structure and properties of polysaccharides, as well as their novel applications across various fields. Potential topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to:

  • Synthesis of polysaccharides;
  • Extraction and processing of polysaccharides;
  • Polysaccharide-based nanomaterials, such as nanofibrils/nanocrystals;
  • Modifications of polysaccharides, such as chemical modification, enzymatic modification, and physical modification;
  • Structural characterization of polysaccharides;
  • Properties of polysaccharides, such as rheology, solubility, and stability;
  • Polysaccharide-based foods with favorable textures and health effects;
  • Polysaccharide-based functional and smart materials;
  • Applications of polysaccharides, such as health (e.g., drug delivery, tissue engineering, and wound healing), environmental remediation, food, food packaging, cosmetics, personal care, and biotechnology

Dr. Fengwei (David) Xie
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polysaccharides
  • carbohydrates
  • biopolymers
  • starch
  • cellulose
  • glycogen
  • chitin
  • chitosan
  • hyaluronic acid
  • agarose
  • alginate
  • Xanthan gum
  • pectin
  • dextran
  • biomaterials
  • drug delivery
  • tissue engineering
  • wound healing
  • biomedical applications
  • food ingredients
  • cosmetics
  • nanomaterials
  • nanoparticles
  • nanogels
  • nanocomposites
  • environmental remediation
  • water treatment
  • industrial processes
  • fermentation
  • enzyme immobilization
  • biotechnology
  • renewable materials
  • sustainable applications

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 6459 KiB  
Article
Subcutaneous Application of a Gelatin/Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel Induces the Production of Skin Extracellular Matrix
by Katia Jarquín-Yáñez, Miguel Ángel Herrera-Enríquez, Diego Ivan Benítez-Barrera, Francisco M. Sánchez-Arévalo, Jorge Alejandro Benítez-Martínez, Gabriela Piñón-Zárate, Beatriz Hernández-Téllez, Diana M. Aguilar Sandoval and Andrés E. Castell-Rodríguez
Polymers 2024, 16(5), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16050573 - 20 Feb 2024
Viewed by 720
Abstract
The development of injectable hydrogels with natural biopolymers such as gelatin (Ge) and hyaluronic acid (Ha) is widely performed due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. The combination of both polymers crosslinked with N-Ethyl-N′-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) can be used as an innovative [...] Read more.
The development of injectable hydrogels with natural biopolymers such as gelatin (Ge) and hyaluronic acid (Ha) is widely performed due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. The combination of both polymers crosslinked with N-Ethyl-N′-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) can be used as an innovative dermal filler that stimulates fibroblast activity and increases skin elasticity and tightness. Thus, crosslinked Ge/Ha hydrogels with different concentrations of EDC were administered subcutaneously to test their efficacy in young and old rats. At higher EDC concentrations, the viscosity decreases while the particle size of the hydrogels increases. At all concentrations of EDC, amino and carboxyl groups are present. The histological analysis shows an acute inflammatory response, which disappears seven days after application. At one and three months post-treatment, no remains of the hydrogels are found, and the number of fibroblasts increases in all groups in comparison with the control. In addition, the elastic modulus of the skin increases after three months of treatment. Because EDC-crosslinked Ge/Ha hydrogels are biocompatible and induce increased skin tension, fibroblast proliferation, and de novo extracellular matrix production, we propose their use as a treatment to attenuate wrinkles and expression lines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Properties and Applications of Polysaccharides)
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