Abstract: Glycogen is a naturally occurring nanometer-sized dendrimer-like glucan, whose functional derivatives can be obtained through its surface and interior modification by chemical or physical methods. However, the application of glycogen as a functional component or nanocarrier in the food, biological and medical fields is restricted because it is synthesized in a complex environment, raising strict requirements for its in vitro extraction. Glycogen-like α-glucan, enzymatically synthesized in vitro, can be used as an ideal industrial substitute for glycogen due to its similar structure and properties to glycogen. This article reviews four methods for in vitro enzymatic synthesis glycogen-like α-glucan and compares the structures and physicochemical properties of glycogen-like α-glucan obtained by these methods. In addition, the possibility of controlling the fine structure of glycogen-like α-glucan and the future prospects for its application are discussed. This review is expected to provide a reference for the application of glycogen-like α-glucan in foods, medicine and cosmetics.

Key words: glycogen; enzymatic synthesis; α-glucan