Heinz C. Schröder - Böcker

This volume focuses on the biomedical aspects of inorganic polyphosphates, a family of unique bio-inorganic polymers. In recent years, great advances have been made in understanding the development, metabolism, and physiological role of inorganic polyphosphates.

This volume focuses on the biomedical aspects of inorganic polyphosphates, a family of unique bio-inorganic polymers.In recent years, great advances have been made in understanding the development, metabolism, and physiological role of inorganic polyphosphates. These energy-rich polymers, which consist of long chains of phosphate units, are evolutionary old molecules. The acidocalcisomes, conserved organelles from bacteria to humans, as well as the mitochondria play a central role in polyphosphate production and storage. Polyphosphates have been assigned multiple functions, some of which are closely related to medically important processes, such as blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, energy metabolism, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, chaperon function, microvascularization, stress response, neurodegeneration and aging. The development of bioinspired polyphosphate particles, in combination with suitable hydrogel-forming polymers enabled the development of new strategies in regenerative medicine, in particular for hard and soft tissue repair, but also in drug delivery and antimicrobial defense. This book not only highlights the basic research in this area, but also discusses possible applications. Therefore, it appeals to scientists working in cell biology, biochemistry, and biomedicine and practicioners alike.

This volume examines recent progress in the development of rational strategies for tissue regeneration, including approaches for wound healing and the management of chronic wounds. These advances build on the understanding that tissue repair is an energy-dependent process and on the identification of molecules that help overcome energy deficits during healing.The book also discusses the design of controlled drug delivery systems and the development of composite materials for tissue regeneration and wound repair, based on synthetic or biological polymers and nanoparticles, which offer improved performance compared to conventional materials.Contributions from leading researchers provide an overview of key developments and current directions in this evolving area of biomedical research.

This book describes the discovery of molecules from unexploited extreme marine environments, and presents new approaches in marine genomics.

This book describes the discovery of molecules from unexploited extreme marine environments, and presents new approaches in marine genomics.

Inorganic polyphosphates - polymers of orthophosphate linked by high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds - have been found in apparently all forms of life, from bacteria, yeasts and fungi to higher plants and animals. These polymers, which had been neglected for a long time, have become a fascinating area of research in the last few years. This volume summarizes the present state of knowledge about the metabolism and function of inorganic polyphosphates. In addition, the methods to study these polymers as well as the biotechnological applications of inorganic polyphosphates are described. The 15 chapters of this volume, dealing with different aspects of polyphosphate research, are written by experts in the field. This book represents a valuable source of information not only for researchers working on this subject, but also for scientists interested in fundamental aspects of cell and energy metabolism.

In recent years, inorganic polymers have attracted much attention in nano-biomedicine, in particular in the area of regenerative medicine and drug delivery. This growing interest in inorganic polymers has been further accelerated by the development of new synthetic and analytical methods in the field of nanotechnology and nanochemistry. Examples for biomedical inorganic polymers that had been proven to exhibit biomedical effects and/or have been applied in preclinical or clinical trials are polysilicate / silica glass (such as naturally formed “biosilica” and synthetic “bioglass”) and inorganic polyphosphate. Some members of the mentioned biomedical inorganic polymers have already been applied e.g. as “bioglass” for bone repair and bone tissue engineering, or they are used in food processing and in dental care (inorganic polyphosphates). However, there are a number of further biological and medicinal properties of these polymers, which have been elucidated in the last few years but not yet been applied for treatment of humans. In addition to polysilicates and polyphosphate, there are a series of other inorganic polymers including polyarsenate and polyvanadate, whose biological / biomedical properties have been only marginally studied so far. Moreover, the combined application of inorganic polymers and organic polymeric molecules (formation of organic-inorganic hybrid materials) provides a variety of new materials with novel property combinations and diverse applications in nanomedicine. The planned book summarizes the present state of knowledge on a large group of inorganic polymers that had hitherto been mainly considered with regard to their chemistry but not comprehensively reviewed with respect to their potential biomedical applications.

Inorganic polyphosphates - polymers of orthophosphate linked by high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds - have been found in apparently all forms of life, from bacteria, yeasts and fungi to higher plants and animals. These polymers, which had been neglected for a long time, have become a fascinating area of research in the last few years. This volume summarizes the present state of knowledge about the metabolism and function of inorganic polyphosphates. In addition, the methods to study these polymers as well as the biotechnological applications of inorganic polyphosphates are described. The 15 chapters of this volume, dealing with different aspects of polyphosphate research, are written by experts in the field. This book represents a valuable source of information not only for researchers working on this subject, but also for scientists interested in fundamental aspects of cell and energy metabolism.