1. Gel electrophoresis of proteoglycans extracted with use of 4 M-guanidinium chloride from baboon (Papio papio) articular cartilage and purified on DEAE-cellulose in 8 M-urea yielded three bands on electrophoresis in polyacrylamide/agarose gels: two wide bands close together (I and II) and a third, thinner and more rapidly moving band (III). 2. Gel electrophoresis of fractions from direct 'dissociative' gradients showed that these bands were partially separated (buoyant density of I greater than II greater than III). 3. Reduction and alkylation of proteoglycans did not alter either the gel-electrophoretic pattern or the distribution of the bands in the fractions of the gradient. 4. Band III was found in the upper third of 'associative' gradients but not in the bottom fraction, which yielded after dissociation only bands I and II. 5. The third band was completely extracted for 24h with an iso-osmotic solution, but was contaminated with bands I and II. The second extraction step with 4M-guanidinium chloride yielded only bands I and II. 6. The data strongly suggest the presence in the articular cartilage of several populations of dissociated proteoglycans differing in gel-electrophoretic migration, buoyant density and aggregation capacity.

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The gel-electrophoretic pattern of dissociated proteoglycans was studied in 7 fetuses, 5 premature newborns, 4 term newborns, 5 infants and 5 children. The tibial growth cartilage was extracted with 4 M guanidinium chloride. After dialysis against 8 M urea at pH 7 the proteoglycans were obtained by ion chromatography in urea on DEAE cellulose and submitted to gel electrophoresis on polyacrylamide agarose gels. Gel electrophoresis of proteoglycans showed a different pattern in fetuses from that found in children. The change occurs in the first months of extrauterine life.

Background The aim of our study was to estimate the efficacy of treatment the fetal hemolytic disease by intravascular transfusions (IVT). Method In the group of 71 immunized patients, after 21 weeks' gestation we performed amniocentesis. Results of the optical density at 450 nm in 2nd or 3rd zone in Liley's scale were an indication for cordocentesis, fetal blood sampling and in cases with low values of blood parameters – intravascular transfusion with drugs administration. In some cases we chose elective preterm cesarean delivery. The management depended on the gestational age, fetal maturity, blood parameters, ultrasound examination and FHR patterns. Results The number of 24/71 patients required IVT. We transfused 20–90 ml of blood in 3–10 days intervals. The total amount of IVT was 78: 65/78 into a free loop of umbilical cord and 13/78 into its placental insertion. In 22/24 cases there were born healthy neonates, five of them required exchange transfusion because of hyperbilirubinemia. We observed one intrauterine death 10 h after IVT, probably due to cord hematoma and one death of hydropic neonate 48 h after delivery. Conclusion The treatment of fetal hemolytic disease by IVT is associated with high perinatal survival rate and low perinatal mortality rate.