Monolithic Columns for the Isolation of Lectin: Principles, Advances and Prospects

Cryogels are materials formed from the polymerization of monomers under freezing conditions and are mainly used as monolithic chromatography columns. Depending on the functionalization technique, they can be used for ion exchange chromatography, immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC), hydrophobic interaction and more selective affinity methods. Due to their physical, chemical and hydrodynamic properties, cryogels find applications in various fields, such as the food industry for purification processes, the pharmaceutical, medical/biomedical and environmental industries, for the removal of waste or toxic substances from the environment. Affinity chromatography is a widely used method in liquid chromatography, and cryogels are closely related to it. Therefore, the aim here is to describe and analyze advances in the development of supermacroporous monolithic columns and their main applications focused on affinity chromatography. Thus, there is a vast field involving monolithic columns for application in affinity chromatography aimed at isolating biomolecules, including lectins. Lectins are glycoproteins with the ability to bind to carbohydrates and perform various functions such as antibacterial, antitumor, immunomodulatory and antiviral responses, among other applications. This review allows us to emphasize the great advances in the development and application of cryogels, materials that have wide applicability in various areas, such as food, biological, medical, biomedical, pharmaceutical and environmental. It is a product that is easy to synthesize and reproduce.