Synthesis of type II collagen in vitro by embryonic chick neural retina tissue

Collagen produced by chick neural retina tissue in vitro has the properties of type II collagen. Isolated neural retina tissue from stage 29-32 chick embryos incorporated [14C]glycine and [3H]proline into collagen consisting of alpha1 chains and a higher molecular weight species. The peptides produced by cyanogen bromide digestion of the collagen are identical to those from authentic type II collagen from cartilage in charge properties, as determined by carboxymethyl-cellulose chromatography, and size distribution, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis.