Preface
Polymers today have a very important role in the technological advancement of our
society. Of the polymers, biopolymers are particularly attractive materials because
they are generally nontoxic and biodegradable, thus combining excellent functional
properties with environmental friendliness and prospects for sustainable development. Furthermore, the input materials used for the production of these polymers
can be either renewable, based on agricultural plant or animal products, or synthetic. In this regard, synthetic biopolymers are more costly than natural biopolymers,
but both “types” of biopolymers possess interesting properties that make them
suitable for a wide repertoire of biomedical applications. In addition, multifunctional entities can be created through decoration of the polymer with specific
molecules such as proteins, peptides, drugs, antibodies, biomimetic ligands, transfection agents, cells and various ligands. The advent of nanotechnology has given a
new momentum towards the development of biopolymer-based nanomaterials,
which can undoubtedly change the shape of our lives.
The present volume entitled “Multifaceted Development and Application of
Biopolymers for Biology, Biomedicine and Nanotechnology” is an attempt to
provide the scientific community and entrepreneurs with a thorough understanding
and knowledge of the combination of nanotechnological, biotechnological, technological and medical aspects of the recent advances in biopolymer applications.
The chapter “Functionalized Nanoparticles and Chitosan-Based Functional
Nanomaterials” summarizes the main advances in design and preparation of nanoparticles published over the last 10 years in terms of polymeric nanomaterials,
emphasizing functionalized metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, graphene, fullerene, liposomes, quantum dots and nanocomposites, and the current developing
interest in functionalization of chitosan derivatives in the form of nanomaterials to
provide new strategies for a wide range of applications. The chapter “Nanoparticles
for Gene Delivery into Stem Cells and Embryos” describes the available
nanoparticle-based gene delivery systems and their use in stem cells for maintaining self-renewal, pluripotency and/or targeted differentiation into specific cell types
for cell-based therapy and/or gene therapy. The chapter also discusses and reviews
the progress and future of nanoparticles for the generation of transgenic animals via
v
Polymers today have a very important role in the technological advancement of our
society. Of the polymers, biopolymers are particularly attractive materials because
they are generally nontoxic and biodegradable, thus combining excellent functional
properties with environmental friendliness and prospects for sustainable development. Furthermore, the input materials used for the production of these polymers
can be either renewable, based on agricultural plant or animal products, or synthetic. In this regard, synthetic biopolymers are more costly than natural biopolymers,
but both “types” of biopolymers possess interesting properties that make them
suitable for a wide repertoire of biomedical applications. In addition, multifunctional entities can be created through decoration of the polymer with specific
molecules such as proteins, peptides, drugs, antibodies, biomimetic ligands, transfection agents, cells and various ligands. The advent of nanotechnology has given a
new momentum towards the development of biopolymer-based nanomaterials,
which can undoubtedly change the shape of our lives.
The present volume entitled “Multifaceted Development and Application of
Biopolymers for Biology, Biomedicine and Nanotechnology” is an attempt to
provide the scientific community and entrepreneurs with a thorough understanding
and knowledge of the combination of nanotechnological, biotechnological, technological and medical aspects of the recent advances in biopolymer applications.
The chapter “Functionalized Nanoparticles and Chitosan-Based Functional
Nanomaterials” summarizes the main advances in design and preparation of nanoparticles published over the last 10 years in terms of polymeric nanomaterials,
emphasizing functionalized metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, graphene, fullerene, liposomes, quantum dots and nanocomposites, and the current developing
interest in functionalization of chitosan derivatives in the form of nanomaterials to
provide new strategies for a wide range of applications. The chapter “Nanoparticles
for Gene Delivery into Stem Cells and Embryos” describes the available
nanoparticle-based gene delivery systems and their use in stem cells for maintaining self-renewal, pluripotency and/or targeted differentiation into specific cell types
for cell-based therapy and/or gene therapy. The chapter also discusses and reviews
the progress and future of nanoparticles for the generation of transgenic animals via
v