Structural characterization and biological functions of echinoderm polysaccharides: A review

Echinoderm polysaccharides are integral to the biology of these organisms and have significant implications for ecological interactions and potential applications in science and medicine. Understanding their structure and function can provide insights into marine biology and contribute to the development of new biomaterials and therapeutic agents. Various echinoderm polysaccharides have been discovered, but the structure and functional rules of echinoderm polysaccharides have not been elucidated. This review focuses on the identified structures of polysaccharides reported in recent years, summarizing their structural patterns (including composition, nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, etc.) This review summarizes several representative structures of polysaccharides from echinoderms (including fucan sulfate, fucosylated chondroitin sulfate and glucan) and their structure-activity relationships. Meanwhile, this review also focuses on the various biological functional activities of polysaccharides from echinoderms, including their anticoagulant, immune regulatory, anticancer and anti-tumor effects, improvement of glucose and lipid metabolism, and antioxidant effects. This review offers valuable reference for the development of these polysaccharides as functional ingredients in food biotechnology and as therapeutic agents in the pharmaceutical industry. Future research into the mechanisms underlying their bioactivity, as well as the factors affecting their efficacy, will further expand their potential applications.