Monitoring Structural Changes in Polysaccharides using SEC-MALS

Dextran is one of the most common representatives of polysaccharides, a macromolecule consisting of α-1,6 linkages between glucose units. In addition, α-1,3 (and infrequently α-1,2) linkages can be present, thus creating branches on the main glycan chain (see Figure 1). These materials have a remarkable diversity in physicochemical properties due to the variation in chain length and degree of branching. Dextran’s commercial applications are typically found in the food and pharmaceutical industry, such as vaccines, eye medicines, organ preservation, and blood cell separation. They are also used as blood plasma surrogates.