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Updated: Jul 21, 2026

Assessing Lysosomal Alkalinization in the Intestine of Live Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: April 13, 2018
Lysozyme, a major low-molecular-weight cationic protein of the intervertebral disc, which increases with ageing and
J Melrose1, P Ghosh, T K Taylor
1Raymond Purves Research Laboratories (University of Sydney), Royal North Shore Hospital of Sydney, St. Leonards, Australia.
Abstract:
Lysozyme was demonstrated to increase in content in the human intervertebral disc in a significant age-dependent manner. In young discs (less than 20 years) the levels were 440 U/g wet weight, whereas in older discs (greater than 65 years) the concentration was 3,460 U/g wet weight. These findings contrasted with the hexuronate level (as a marker of proteoglycans) and neutral sugar content of the tissues which decreased with age. The level of lysozyme determined in the disc tissue also correlated with the morphological grade of disc degeneration.
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