Cellulose function

Polysaccharides and generally carbohydrates represent the main carbon sink in the plant cell. Polysaccharides commonly serve nutritional (e.g., starch) and structural (e.g., cellulose) functions in plants. Some polysaccharides are cytotoxic against certain types of cancer, such as mouse skin cancer, or tumor lines in vitro (e.g., mouse Sarcoma-180). However, most polysaccharides exert their action through stimulation of the immune system (cancer immunotherapy). Plants containing polysaccharides with anticancer properties include the following ... 

C-NMR spectra of water soluble cellulose model compounds indicate that formaldehyde is capable of reacting with wood cellulose functions under hot press conditions as well as at room temperature yielding hemiacetals. The formation of hemiacetals is reversible, and thus constitutes a reservoir for formaldehyde storage. Due to its affinity for water, formaldehyde released during the manufacture of UF-resin bonded products will be retained in the aqueous phase of wood. Wood contains about 9 wt% of moisture. Most of this is in the S-2 secondary cell walls that consist mainly of wood cel IuIose. 

Poly(amino acids)2892 and polypeptides2893 can also be grafted onto starch. Starch was first alkylated in the presence of lithium naphthalene, and then the alkoxy derivatives were reacted with /V-carboxy anhydrides. Poly(amide amines) were produced by reacting amines with dioic acids on starch and then crosslinking with epichlorohydrin or 1,2-dichloroethane 2894 Grafting of starch with a synthetic polymer chain, for instance, polystyryl carboxylate anions prepared by an anionic polymerization, can be carried out on a blend of starch and cellulose functionalized by sulfonation, mesylation, or tosylation. In this manner, cellulose-starch graft copolymers were prepared.2895... 

Th. Heinze and T. Liebert, Unconventional methods in cellulose functionalization, Prog. Polym. Sci., 26 (2001) 1689-1762. 

Hufendiek A, Trouillet V, Meier MA, Bamer-Kowollik C (2014) Temperature responsive cellulose-gr< -copolymers via cellulose functionalization in an iraric liquid and RAFT polymerization. Biomacromolecules 15 2563-2572... 

Several natural polymers as chitin, cellulose, functionalized cellulose and natural fibers are some of most studied natural polymers in graft copolymerization using redox system as initiator, being cerium ion one with more reports. 

X. Wei, L. Qi, J. Tan, R. Liu, F. Wang, A colorimetric sensor for determination of cysteine by carboxymethyl cellulose-functionalized gold nanoparticles, Analytica Chimica Acta 671 (2010) 80-84. 

In designing derivatives for various properties and applications the degree of substitution is a very important parameter, as well as the chemical structure of the substituent. Recent studies have been done in selective cellulose functionalization obtaining regioselectively substituted esters and ethers (93-97). 

Gurgel LVA, Melo JCP, Lena JC, Gil LF. Adsorption of chromium (VI) ion from aqueous solution by succinylated mercerized cellulose functionalized with quaternary ammoniun groups. Bioresour Technol 2009 100 3214-3220. 

Figure 5.8 Bacterial cellulose functionalization with the ATRP initiator and ATRP grafting of MMA or BA from modified bacterial cellulose. Reproduced from [63] with permission of American Chemical...

Cellulose production is a very interesting phenomenon in acetic acid bacteria. The biological function of cellulose seems to involve the retention of the bacterial cell on a liquid surface however, this does not explain why these bacteria produce such vast quantities of cellulose. Further studies on cellulose function are therefore required. 

Heinze T (2005) Chemical functionalization of cellulose, hi Dumitriu S (ed) Polysaccharides structural diversity and functional versatility, 2nd edn. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 551-554 Heinze T, Liebert T (2001) Unconventional methods in cellulose functionalization. Prog Polym Sci 26(9) 1689-1762... 

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