κ-Carrageenan

κ-Carrageenan (CAS No.: 11114-20-8) is a sulfated polysaccharide derived predominantly from red seaweeds and is widely utilized in biomedical research as a functional biopolymer with immunomodulatory and pro-inflammatory properties. As a member of the carrageenan family, it is characterized by its ability to interact with cellular membranes and extracellular components, making it a useful carrier for bioactive molecules such as curcumin, facilitating intracellular delivery and promoting apoptosis in cancer cell models. Mechanistically, κ-carrageenan is known to activate inflammatory signaling pathways, including those associated with cytokine release and innate immune responses, thereby serving as a robust experimental tool for studying inflammation-related processes. It is frequently employed in in vitro and in vivo models to induce acute inflammatory responses, such as edema formation in paw swelling assays and exacerbation of intestinal inflammation, enabling the evaluation of anti-inflammatory agents and pathway modulation. While quantitative activity parameters vary depending on experimental systems, its biological effects are typically observed across micromolar to milligram-per-milliliter concentration ranges in cell-based and animal studies. Overall, κ-carrageenan represents a versatile research reagent for investigating drug delivery systems, inflammation mechanisms, and cellular response pathways, with experimental conditions tailored to specific study designs.