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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Sophie Reay, Professor Catharien Hilkens, Professor Katarina NovakovicORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2024 by the authors.Chitosan is widely explored in the field of biomedicine due to its abundance and reported properties, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, mucoadhesion, and anti-microbial activity. Although our understanding of the immune response to chitosan has evolved, confusion remains regarding whether chitosan is a pro- or anti-inflammatory biomaterial. Tackling this knowledge gap is essential for the translation of chitosan-based biomaterials to clinical use. Herein, we provide an overview of the immune responses to chitosan, exploring the roles of endotoxin contamination and physiochemical properties in immunomodulation. Ultimately, this literature review concludes that various physiochemical properties, including molecular weight, degree of deacetylation and polydispersity, endotoxin contamination, and cellular environment, interplay in the complex process of chitosan immunomodulation, which can lead to both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects.
Author(s): Reay SL, Marina Ferreira A, Hilkens CMU, Novakovic K
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: Polymers
Year: 2025
Volume: 17
Issue: 1
Online publication date: 25/12/2024
Acceptance date: 22/12/2024
ISSN (electronic): 2073-4360
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17010019
DOI: 10.3390/polym17010019
