ABSTRACT
Molecular modification of marine polysaccharides constitutes an ever-expanding area in the field of carbohydrate chemistry. The goal of molecular modification through physical, chemical, and enzymatic methods is to produce newer derivatives such as grafted copolymers, cross-linked polymers, oversulfated, acetylated, deacetylated, benzoylated, carboxymethylated, and phosphorylated derivatives with enhanced biological activities, tailor-made properties, and novel applications. However, no comprehensive review is available in the literature till date highlighting various strategies for molecular modification of sulfated polysaccharides of marine origin, observed changes in the modified derivatives with respect to structure and/or property and alterations in in vitro characteristics of biological significance. The chapter aims to focus on molecular modification approaches adopted for some potential sulfated polysaccharides obtained from marine species, such as fucoidan, ulvan, laminarin, porphyran etc. Subsections of the chapter will describe novel applications of the modified derivatives in drug delivery, in design of tissue scaffolds and in regenerative medicine.
