Procollagen type I C-proteinase enhancer is a naturally occurring connective tissue glycoprotein

Using antibodies to the procollagen C-proteinase enhancer of mouse fibroblast culture medium, we have screened by immunoblotting extracts of several post natal mouse and rat tissues for the presence of the enhancer antigen. All rodent connective tissues were relatively rich in enhancer; lower amounts were found in skeletal muscle and heart and essentially no enhancer was detected in kidney, liver or brain. The amounts of enhancer in mouse tendon and calvaria extracts were age related, with highest amounts in 11 and 19 d tendons and in 1 d calvaria-the times of rapid growth of these organs. The results suggest that procollagen C-proteinase enhancer is a specific connective tissue glycoprotein that is likely to regulate procollagen processing in vivo.