Dendrimers in Medicine and Biotechnology New Molecular Tools [Hardcover]

Dendrimers are a new class of macromolecule increasingly used in the fields of synthetic organic chemistry, biology, medicine and biotechnology. Dendrimers in Medicine and Biotechnology: New Molecular Tools looks at this exciting and rapidly growing area of science. Using an interdisciplinary approach with particular emphasis on biological applications, the book discusses the relationship between the dendrimer molecular motif and its biological properties. A general introduction to the subject of dendrimers, including definitions of terms and symbols, is provided. Subsequent sections discuss topics including dendrimers in biological systems, dendrimers as drug delivery devices, dendrimers in diagnostics and dendrimer drugs. Throughout the book examples from current research are also provided. This book will appeal to a wide range of scientists, including non specialists who require an introduction to dendrimers, as well as those wishing to know more about the application of dendrimers in the field of biology and medicine.Chapter 1: Dendrimers: Design, synthesis and chemical properties; 1.1: Introduction; 1.2: Terms and nomenclature in dendrimer chemistry; 1.3: Dendrimer design; 1.4: Dendrimer synthesis; 1.5: Physicochemical properties of dendrimers; 1.6: Summary; Chapter 2: Properties of dendrimers in biological systems; 2.1: Significance of multivalent binding in biological interactions; 2.2: Biocompatibility of dendrimers; 2.3: Summary; Chapter 3: Dendrimers as drug delivery devices; 3.1: Introduction; 3.2: Dendrimer hosts; 3.3: Covalently bound dendrimer conjugates; 3.4: Dendrimers as gene transfer reagents; 3.5: Summary; Chapter 4: Dendrimer drugs; 4.1: Introduction; 4.2: Antiviral dendrimers; 4.3: Antibacterial dendrimers; 4.4: Dendrimers in antitumor therapy; 4.5: Dendrimer in therapy of other diseases; 4.6: Dendrimer based vaccines; 4.7: Dendrimer interactions with proteins. Solubilisation of protein aggregates; 4.7: Summary; Chapter 5: Dendrimers in diagnostl�