dextran
/ˈdɛkstran
/noun [mass noun]
1 Chemistry A carbohydrate gum formed by the fermentation of sugars and consisting of polymers of glucose.Among them, the most effective in preserving a more native-like structure are the disaccharides sucrose and trehalose in dry films and the polymer dextran in wet films....
- In one set of experiments, they loaded the sugar dextran, the anticoagulant heparin, or a growth hormone into reservoirs on separate chips.
- The particles are crafted from the polymer dextran, a sugar-binding protein, and insulin.
1.1 Medicine A solution containing a hydrolysed form of dextran, used as a substitute for blood plasma.High molecular weight dextran expands the plasma volume by an amount equal to 80% to 120% of the volume infused and the plasma volume is increased for up to 6 hours after infusion....
- A new preservation solution, which combines a low potassium concentration and dextran, has also been developed specifically for the lungs.
- Larger scale studies may be needed if important clinical differences between colloids and crystalloids are to be found (including the possibility that dextran may worsen bleeding complications).
Origin
Late 19th century: from dextro- + -an.