title: Marine polysaccharides in microencapsulation and application to aquaculture: "from sea to sea".
abstract: This review's main objective is to discuss some physico-chemical features of polysaccharides as intrinsic determinants for the supramolecular structures that can efficiently provide encapsulation of drugs and other biological entities. Thus, the general characteristics of some basic polysaccharides are outlined in terms of their conformational, dynamic and thermodynamic properties. The analysis of some polysaccharide gelling properties is also provided, including the peculiarity of the charged polysaccharides. Then, the way the basic physical chemistry of polymer self-assembly is made in practice through the laboratory methods is highlighted. A description of the several literature procedures used to influence molecular interactions into the macroscopic goal of the encapsulation is given with an attempt at classification. Finally, a practical case study of specific interest, the use of marine polysaccharide matrices for encapsulation of vaccines in aquaculture, is reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri, 1-I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borgogna
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri, 1-I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5257-6584
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bellich
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri, 1-I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Attilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cesàro
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D017756:Aquaculture; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D004339:Drug Compounding; D005524:Food Technology; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020100:Hydrogels; D014677:Pharmaceutical Vehicles; D011134:Polysaccharides; D012996:Solutions; D014612:Vaccines; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D048271:Chitosan