Editing Dextran (section)

{{distinguish|Dextrin}}
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| ImageFile1 = Dextran-2.png
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|Section1={{Chembox Identifiers
| CASNo = 9004-54-0
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| UNII = 05Q25F6XJ3
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| KEGG = C00372
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|Section2={{Chembox Properties
| Formula = H(C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>10</sub>O<sub>5</sub>)<sub>x</sub>OH
| MolarMass = Variable
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|Section6={{Chembox Pharmacology
| ATCCode_prefix = B05
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|Section7={{Chembox Hazards
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}}

'''Dextran''' is a complex branched [[glucan]] ([[polysaccharide]] derived from the condensation of [[glucose]]), originally derived from [[wine]]. [[IUPAC]] defines dextrans as "Branched poly-α-d-glucosides of microbial origin having glycosidic bonds predominantly C-1 → C-6".<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://goldbook.iupac.org/html/D/D01655.html|chapter=dextrans|doi=10.1351/goldbook.D01655|title=The IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology|year=2014}}</ref> Dextran chains are of varying lengths (from 3 to 2000 [[Atomic mass unit|kilodaltons]]).

The polymer main chain consists of α-1,6 [[glycosidic]] linkages between glucose monomers, with branches from α-1,3 linkages. This characteristic branching distinguishes a dextran from a [[dextrin]], which is a straight chain glucose polymer tethered by α-1,4 or α-1,6 linkages.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Adv. Polym. Sci. |year=2006|volume=205|pages=199–291|doi=10.1007/12_100|title=Functional Polymers Based on Dextran|author1=Thomas Heinze |author2=Tim Liebert |author3=Brigitte Heublein |author4=Stephanie Hornig|series=Advances in Polymer Science|isbn=978-3-540-37102-1}}</ref>   <!-- (For information on the numbering of [[carbon]] [[atom]]s in glucose, see the [[glucose]] article.) -->