Chitosan: source, chemistry, and properties

Chitosan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide obtained from the deacetylation of chitin either by chemical or enzymatic or microwave-assisted method. The molecules of chitosan consists of N-acetyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-d-glucopyranose (acetylated unit) and 2-amino-2-deoxyd-glucopyranose (deacetylated unit), where the repeating units are linked by β-(1→4)-glycosidic bonds. This chapter provides a better understanding of the in-depth knowledge of source, chemistry, and properties (physical, chemical, and biological) of chitosan, which are reported to show characteristic effects in numerous biomedical applications.