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Electron microscopic visualization of proteoglycans and collagen in bovine costal cartilage

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Abstract

Removal of the soluble proteoglycans from slices of bovine costal cartilage by extraction in 4 M guanidinium hydrochloride permitted the visualization of abundant amounts of dispersed and disaggregated collagen in the matrix. Proteoglycans which are resistant to extraction are seen as small granules which are concentrated in the perilacunar regions. Large proteoglycan granules appear to originate in the chondrocyte. As they come to occupy positions in the matrix distant from the chondrocyte, the granules become smaller. A non-granular, “amorphous” component masks the collagen fibers so that they cannot be readily seen in the intact cartilage.

Résumé

L'élimination de protéoglycans solubles de coupes de cartilage costal de boeuf, par extraction dans une solution de 4M d'hydrochlorure de guanidinium, permet de mettre en évidence des quantités abondantes de collagène dispersé et désagrégé dans la matrice. Les protéoglycanes, résistants à l'extraction, sont visibles sous forme de granules concentrés dans les régions périlacunaires. Les granulations plus importants des protéoglycanes semblent venir du chondrocyte. Dans la matrice, éloignée des chondrocytes, ces granules deviennent plus étroites. Un composant non granulaire “amorphe” masque les fibres de collagène, de telle sorte qu'elles sont difficilement visibles dans le cartilage intact.

Zusammenfassung

Die löslichen Proteoglycane wurden mittels Extraktion in 4 M Guanidinhydrochlorid aus Rippenknorpelschnitten des Rindes entfernt. Dies erlaubte die Sichtbarmachung von großen Mengen von verstreuten und auseinandergerissenen Collagen in der Matrix. Die Protoglycane, welche sich nicht extrahieren lassen, erscheinen als kleine, in den perilacunären Regionen konzentrierte Körnchen. Die großen Proteoglycan-Körner scheinen in den Chondrocyten zu entstehen. Sobald sie sich in die Matrix, außerhalb der Chondrocyten, verlagern, werden die Körner kleiner. Ein nicht-granulärer, „amorpher” Bestandteil verhüllt die Collagenfasern, so daß diese im intakten Knorpel nicht deutlich gesehen werden können.

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Campo, R.D., Phillips, S.J. Electron microscopic visualization of proteoglycans and collagen in bovine costal cartilage. Calc. Tis Res. 13, 83–92 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02015399

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