Preparation and properties of fluorescein-labelled hyaluronate

Hyaluronate has been labelled with fluorescein groups by two procedures. Products with degrees of substitution ((d.s.) between 0.05 and 0.001 were obtained. Physico-chemical analysis (viscometry, gel chromatography, and measurements of sedimentation and diffusion coefficients) of the parent compound and the products showed that the labelling procedures caused only a limited degradation of the polysaccharide.