Not available outside of the UK & Ireland.

Application

Dextran sulfate is routinely used for the selective precipitation of lipoproteins, probe hybridization membrane-immobilized DNA, the release of DNA from DNA-histone complexes, and the inhibition of RNA binding to ribosomes.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Treatment with dextran sulfate sodium triggers development of colitis in mice and rats by binding to medium-chain-length fatty acids present in the colon and inducing inflammation.

General description

Dextran is a polymer of anhydroglucose. It is composed of approximately 95% alpha-D-(166) linkages. The remaining (163) linkages account for the branching of dextran.