| Abstrakt: |
Microalgae are aerobic photosynthetic microorganisms known to man since ancient times – algal biomass has been collected and used as food for centuries. They can be found in a wide variety of habitats around the world, due to their remarkable ability to adapt to changing and often harsh environmental conditions, including temperature anomalies, drought, salinity, photooxidation and UV radiation. To survive in the complex and competitive environment in the numerous ecological niches which they populate, microalgae synthesize a wide variety of metabolites, some of which are not found in other organisms. The expanding necessity for natural, safe, and environmentally friendly renewable products gives an impetus to cultivation of microalgae, rich producers of valuable substances: proteins containing essential amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, sterols, vitamins, pigments, polysaccharides, etc. Many of these substances exhibit various biological activities and pharmacological properties, such as antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antitumor activity, immunostimulatory, anti-inflammatory, fibrinolytic, antidiabetic and antioxidant properties, and are used or have the potential for application as medicinal agents, functional foods, in cosmetics and pharmacy. Advances in the modern microalgal biotechnology contribute to increasing the number of cultivated species and expanding their fields of application, including in agriculture as biostimulants, biopesticides, feed and feed additives for animals. As a result of intensive targeted research worldwide, a number of other microalgae species/strains have been identified, apart from the industrially cultivated ones, possessing the necessary characteristics and potential for commercial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
