Anionic glycopeptides and glycosaminoglycans synthesized by embryonic neural tube and neural crest

Anionic glycopeptides and glycosaminoglycans synthesized by embryonic neural tube (epithelium) and neural crest (mesenchymal outgrowth) developing in vitro were examined. The profile of surface glycopeptides is relatively simple (two major ones for neural crest; four major ones for neural tube). There is one major glycopeptide found in the medium which is present only in trace amounts on the cells. Both hyaluronate and chondroitin sulfate are synthesized. Hyaluronate is predominantly cell associated; chondroitin sulfate is found predominantly in the medium. It is suggested that independent sorting of these relatively few glycopeptides can result in qualitative surface differences. Morphological state (epithelial or mesenchymal) and differentiated state may be related to these differences as well as to quantitative differences in surface glycosaminoglycans.