Summary
It has been confirmed that glycosaminoglycan is associated with collagen and other constituents of the anulus fibrosus. In cells, it appears to be present on the rough endoplasmic reticulum and is removed by hyaluronidase digestion and thus may consist of chondroitin sulphate. In pericellular material it appears as fibrils and granules, is unaffected by hyaluronidase and may consist of keratan sulphate or dermatan sulphate. Collagen fibrils contain hyaluronidase-digestable glycosaminoglycan (such as chondroitin sulphate) in the form of peripheral rings that appear as bands in longitudinal sections of the fibrils.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bahr, G. F., Bloom, G. &Friberg, U. (1957) Volume changes of tissue in physiological fluids during fixation in osmium tetroxide of formalin and during subsequent treatment.Expl. Cell Res. 12, 342–55.
Behnke, O. &Zelander, T. (1970) Preservation of intercellular substances by the cationic dye Alcian Blue in preparative procedures for electron microscopy.J. Ultrastruct. Res. 31, 424–38.
Butler, W. F. &Fujioka, T. (1972) Fine structure of the anulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc of the cat.Anat. Anz. 132, 454–64.
Butler, W. F. &Heap, P. (1979) Correlation between Alcian Blue staining of glycosaminoglycans of cat nucleus pulposus and TEM X-ray probe microanalysis.Histochem. J. 11, 137–43.
Butler, W. F. &Pousty, I. (1974) Comparison of the effects and two sources of hyaluronidase on tissue sections using visual estimates and microdensitometric measurements.Histochem. J. 6, 117–20.
Butler, W. F. &Pousty, I. (1977) Staining of glycosaminoglycans in intervertebral disc cells.Res. vet. Sci. 23, 351–3.
Comper, W. D. &Laurent, T. C. (1978) Physiological function of connective tissue polysaccharides.Physiol. Rev. 58, 255–314.
Lindahl, U. &Höök, M. (1978) Glycosamirioglycans and their binding to biological macromolecules.Ann. Rev. Biochem. 47, 385–417.
Myers, D. B. (1976) Electron microscopic auto-radiography of33SO4-labelled material closely associated with collagen fibres in mammalian synovium and ear cartilage.Histochem. J. 8, 191–9.
Phelps, C. F. (1973) The biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans.Biochem. Soc. Trans. 1, 814–9.
Pousty, I. &Butler, W. F. (1978) Staining of glycosaminoglycans of intervertebral disc tissue.Res. vet. Sci. 25, 182–7.
Rodriguez, E. M. (1969) Fixation of the central nervous system by the perfusion of the cerebral ventricles with a threefold aldehyde mixture.Brain Res. 15, 395–412.
Ruggeri, A., Dell'orbo, C. &Quacci, D. (1975) Electron microscopic visualization of proteoglycans with Alcian Blue.Histochem. J. 7, 187–97.
Shepard, N. &Mitchell, N. (1977) The localisation of articular cartilage proteoglycan by electron microscopy.Anat. Rec. 187, 463–76.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Butler, W.F., Heap, P. An ultrastructural study of glycosaminoglycans associated with collagen and other constituents of the cat anulus fibrosus. Histochem J 14, 113–123 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041134
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041134