Fractionation of mucopolysaccharides by countercurrent distribution in aqueous polymer two-phase systems

A new procedure for the fractionation of mucopolysaccharides based upon differences in their partition behavior in aqueous polymer two-phase systems has been devised. Systems containing dextran, poly(ethylene glycol), trimethylamino-poly(ethylene glycol), potassium bromide and sodium phosphate buffer were employed. Countercurrent distributions were performed with a miniature countercurrent distribution device designed especially for use with aqueous polymer two-phase systems. An advantage over the widely used procedures involving precipitation of mucopolysaccharides as their quaternary ammonium detergent complexes is that the countercurrent distribution pattern of a particular mucopolysaccharide is not affected by the simultaneous presence of other mucopolysaccharides. Preliminary distributions of labelled mucopolysaccharides isolated from the cells and culture medium of monolayer cultures of rat tumor cells demonstrate that the procedure is particularly well suited for the fractionation of very minute quantities of mucopolysaccharides.