DEXTRAN SULFATE Meaning and
Definition
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Dextran Sulfate is a polysaccharide compound that is derived from dextran, a complex carbohydrate polymer composed of glucose units. It is chemically modified by the substitution of sulfate groups onto the dextran backbone. Dextran Sulfate is commonly used in various scientific and medical applications.
In the field of molecular biology and virology, Dextran Sulfate is extensively used as a research reagent and a selective inhibitor of viral replication. It has been demonstrated to inhibit the replication of a wide range of enveloped viruses by interacting with the viral envelope glycoproteins, thereby preventing viral attachment and entry into host cells. This makes Dextran Sulfate a valuable tool in studying the mechanisms of viral infections and developing antiviral strategies.
Additionally, Dextran Sulfate is frequently employed in biochemical and immunological assays to enhance the specificity of interactions between molecules. It functions as a blocking agent by binding non-specifically to proteins or nucleic acids, preventing them from binding to nonspecific sites on surfaces or other biomolecules. This aids in reducing background noise and improving the accuracy of various analytical techniques.
Moreover, Dextran Sulfate has a role in pharmaceutical applications as well. Due to its ability to bind to certain proteins and enzymes, it can be utilized as a matrix in affinity chromatography to isolate or purify specific target molecules from complex mixtures. This makes it a valuable tool in drug discovery and development processes.
In summary, Dextran Sulfate is a modified polysaccharide compound that finds widespread use in molecular biology, virology, immunology, and pharmaceutical sciences for various applications including viral inhibition, biochemical assays, blocking agent in assays, and as an affinity chromatography matrix.
Common Misspellings for DEXTRAN SULFATE
- sextran sulfate
- xextran sulfate
- cextran sulfate
- fextran sulfate
- rextran sulfate
- eextran sulfate
- dwxtran sulfate
- dsxtran sulfate
- ddxtran sulfate
- drxtran sulfate
- d4xtran sulfate
- d3xtran sulfate
- deztran sulfate
- dectran sulfate
- dedtran sulfate
- destran sulfate
- dexrran sulfate
- dexfran sulfate
- dexgran sulfate
- dexyran sulfate
Etymology of DEXTRAN SULFATE
The word "Dextran Sulfate" is a compound term composed of two parts: "dextran" and "sulfate".
- Dextran: The term "dextran" originates from the Greek words "dexiós" (meaning right) and "ránnon" (meaning flow). It refers to a group of complex polysaccharides composed of glucose molecules linked together in a branching pattern. The name "dextran" was given due to the tendency of these compounds to rotate polarized light to the right.
- Sulfate: The term "sulfate" comes from the Latin word "sulphur" (meaning sulfur) and the suffix "-ate", which indicates the presence of oxygen. "Sulfate" refers to a chemical compound that contains the sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻), which consists of one sulfur atom and four oxygen atoms.
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