Abstract
Abstract Chitosan is a cationic polysaccharide mainly used as an absorption enhancer for various pharmaceutics. The high density of positive charge on a chitosan molecule enables it to attach to the plasma membrane of most epithelial cells. Intravesical application of chitosan to urinary bladder recently revealed a destructive effect of this polysaccharide on superficial terminally differentiated epithelial cells, possibly due to the very specific structure of the apical membrane in these cells. This discovery broadens the application of chitosan to studies of urinary bladder regeneration mechanisms and indicates new possibilities for treating chronic bacterial cystitis and the removal of superficial urothelial tumors. Due to the chemical similarity of chitosan to aminoglycan molecules of proteoglycans in extracellular matrix, this molecule is widely used as a scaffolding material in tissue engineering for the needs of reconstructive medicine. No toxic effects were found after the application of chitosan in tissue engineering indicating for different effects on cell membranes after apical and basolateral application. This chapter presents current understanding of the effects of chitosan on plasma membrane in the most common described applications of this biopolymer.
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