Chemical Studies on the Human Growth Cartilage in Fetuses and Newborns

Abstract

Microchemical determination of hexosamine and hydroxyproline performed in isolated histological zones from sections of tibial epiphyseal plate obtained from fetuses, newborn infants and children showed a decrease of hexosamine and an increase of hydroxyproline concentration with age. Fractionation of glycosaminoglycans demonstrates that the differences in hexosamine are due mainly to variations in chondroitin sulphates. Gel electrophoresis of protoeglycans showed different patterns in fetuses and in older children. It is suggested that the permeability, sieving and ionexchange properties of the growth plate change probably with age. In several newborns with important general pathologic findings, a decrease of hexosamine was found in the column zone.

Age-Dependent Change in the Gel-Electrophoretic Pattern of Proteoglycans of Human Growth Cartilage

“…A similar change was found in humans (16). It was the purpose of this study to determine when the pattern of the fetal proteo glycans of human growth cartilage is converted into the pattern found in older children.…”

“…In a previous study (16) we found that in various species (rat, pig, baboon) the gel-electrophoretic pattern of fetal growth cartilage proteoglycans is different from that found in older animals.…”

Chondroitin Sulfates and Their Role in Metobolism of Chondrocytes and Intercellular Matrix of Cartilage Tissue

“…Мономер протеогликана хряща [4,23] [34]. В эмбриональ ном хряще ГАГ представлены главным образом ХС-4 и ХС-6, а также гепарансульфатом [11,13,39,50]. В процессе эмбрионального развития ко личество гепарансульфата в хрящевой ткани падает, а кератансульфата нарастает.…”