Biomedical applications of mannan conjugates

Mannans are a major component of gymnosperm wood and are found in the seed of various non-leguminous plants. This group of polymers have received great attention because of their physico-chemical properties, such as their viscosity, polymerization, solubility, and gelling ability, as well as their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. Mannans can be conjugated with different molecules, including drugs, carriers, and biomolecules such as proteins and antigens, in order to enhance the efficacy and potency of these molecules. Such conjugates are fabricated by methods such as reductive amination, aminoxyligation, carbodiimide coupling, mannosylation, and cyanylation. This review highlights different strategies for the synthesis of mannans, the various fabrication methods, and the wide applications of mannan conjugates in various fields such as tissue engineering, diagnostics, vaccine delivery, therapeutics, and biomedicine.