Biopolymer ionic functional group

Ion bridging is a specific type of Coulombic interaction involving the simultaneous binding of polyvalent cations (e.g., Ca, Fe, Cu ) to two different anionic functional groups on biopolymer molecules. This type of ionic interaction is commonly involved in associative self-assembly of biopolymers. As a consequence it is also an important contributory factor in the flocculation (via bridging or depletion) of colloidal particles or emulsion droplets in aqueous media containing adsorbed or non-adsorbed biopolymers (Dickinson and McClements, 1995). 

In aqueous solutions, at a physiological pH, HA is represented by negatively charged hyaluronate macromolecules (pK = 3.21) [15] with extended conformations. In a polyanionic form, hyaluronan functional groups make the biopolymer so hydrophilic that it binds 1000 times more water than is predicted from its molar mass. The heterogeneity and hydrophilicity of HA facilitate its interaction with a variety of tissue constituents inside and outside the cells. In the extracellular space, HA controls the retention of water, ionic and molecular diffusion and provides a 3D-structural meshwork [16]. 

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