Structure, Conformation, and Mechanism in the Formation of Polysaccharide Gels and Networks

Abstract

It is noted that the gel is the most typical state for polysaccharides, both in biological and artificial systems. The polymer chains usually form an interconnected network that gives rise to characteristic texture and properties. Polysaccharide gels have various biological functions essentially in the wall of the young plant-cell, in animal fluids and connective tissues, and in the bacterial capsule. They also have widespread commercial uses, particularly in foodstuffs, cosmetics, paper, and textiles. The gel state is considered characteristic of polysaccharides in the way that polypeptides and globular proteins can characteristically occur as compact particles having a high degree of internal order, or nucleic acids can occur as chain pairs in highly ordered and complementary association. Polysaccharides also make a distinctive contribution to natural-polymer chemistry in showing, in terms of molecular structure, interaction of chain molecules in three-dimensions to provide physical and biological properties of gels.