Chondroitin sulphate at the endothelial lumen of pig aorta: Assay by radiolabelling and by X-ray microanalysis

Abstract

Trypsin-releasable glycosaminoglycans from the luminal surface of intact pig aorta were measured following metabolic labelling with35S]sulphate. Chondroitin sulphate was found to be present at a surface density equal to that already established for heparan sulphate (5×1011 chains per cm2). This result was confirmed by X-ray microanalysis of the luminal sulphur content before and after treatment with specific glycosaminoglycan-degrading enzymes. This result implies that approximately half of the luminal surface is occupied by sulphated glycosaminoglycans.