ABSTRACT
Marine microorganisms are regarded as abundant sources of bioactive components and have gained much attention recently. Many marine microorganisms, especially bacteria, can produce abundant quantities of extracellular polysaccharides under limited nutrient conditions. Marine microalgae have been used as food for humans and animals in aquaculture for a long time. Marine bacteria are an indispensable component of the marine ecosystem and offer a great diversity of polysaccharides. M. S. Matsui and co-workers found that polysaccharides derived from cultures of the red microalgae Porphyridium showed the ability of inhibition of migration and adhesion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which seems to be related to the anti-inflammatory activity. Numerous polysaccharides have been isolated from different marine microorganisms, such as marine bacteria, fungi and microalgae, and have attracted tons of attention as promising immunomodulatory, anticancer and cancer-preventive bioactive substances. Traditional cancer treatments include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, but they cause large damage to the human body.
