[Glycosaminoglycans of normal and pathologically altered articular cartilage]

Glycosaminoglycans of tegmental cartilage of human caput femoris were separated into the fractions, which were identified as keratosulfate, hyaluronic acid, heparitin sulphate, chondroitin-4-sulphate, chondroitin-6-sulphate, dermatan sulphate and heparin. Content of glycosaminoglycans in articular cartilage of healthy persons and patients with deforming arthrosis was determined. Content of sulphatated polysaccharides (dermatan sulphate, chondroitin-6-sulphate, keratosulfate and heparitin sulphate) was shown to be distinctly decreased in the cartilage of the patients as compared with the amount of the polysaccharides in the same tissue of healthy persons.