Studies on the macromolecular components of the bovine aortic and venous tissue

The glycosaminoglycans (GAG), glycoproteins and collagen in bovine aorta and venous tissue have been studied. The concentration of hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulphate was significantly more in the venous tissue while chondroitin sulphates were higher in the aorta. Sequential extraction with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) collagenase, hyaluronidase and urea was also carried out with the two tissues. The GAG extractable by PBS and collagenase digestion were more in the aorta. The total aortic glycoproteins had significantly lower hexose and higher sialic acid. The PBS extractable glycoproteins of the venous tissue had more hexose and fucose. The glycoproteins released by collagenase digestion of the venous tissue had lower sialic acid and higher fucose, while glycoprotein released by hyaluronidase digestion had lower sialic acid and higher hexose and fucose. Urea extractable glycoproteins had lower fucose and sialic acid in the venous tissue. Venous tissue had higher total collagen and acid and salt soluble collagen while insoluble collagen was more in the aorta. The total GAG in the venous tissue had greater anticoagulant activity while the aortic GAG bound significantly more serum lipoproteins.