Chapter 1
Theoretically speaking, nearly all compounds, whether natural or synthetic, can be chemically combined to create new characteristics as desired by their creators, without compromising too much to their individual features.
What is bioconjugation?
Bioconjugation, as its name suggests, is a technique to form a stable covalent link between at least two different molecular parts of biological origin. Bioconjugates used in organisms or cells are designed this way so that they are water soluble or that cells are able to compartmentalize them.
What sense does bioconjugation make?
As time went on, researchers have gained an increasing understanding of biomolecules, making it possible to apply biomolecules into numerous fields like medicine and materials. You may wonder why scientists endeavor so much for personalizing new biomolecules, and here is the reason. Biomolecules, when artificially and technically modified, can take on diverse characteristics and thus serving different functions, like
a.tracking cellular events;
b.revealing enzyme function;
c.determining protein biodistribution;
d.imaging specific biomarkers;
e.delivering drugs to targeted cells
(Just to name a few)
And, bioconjugation is a crucial strategy that scientists employ to link these modified biomolecules with different substrates.
