Synthesis and heparin-like biological activity of amino acid-based polymers

Physiological functions are regulated by biological macromolecules and most of the biologically active macromolecules are charged linear polymers. Heparin is a natural polyanion composed of repeating disaccharide units of Glucosamine and uronic acid. Heparin is a potent anticoagulant, and also active as an antimethastatic and antiproliferative agent. Macromolecules based on N-acryl L-amino acids bearing hydrophobic or charged side groups, when arranged into a configuration determined by the chirality of the amino acid α-carbon may express heparin like biological activities. The absence of high acidic groups existing in heparin is compensated by some kind of lipophilic interaction.