Collagen components of bovine fetal and guinea pig cochlear bone and human stapes

Collagenous components were isolated chemically from fetal bovine or guinea pig cochlear bone and human stapes after stapedectomy, and the purified protein was characterized by immunoblot assay and amino acid analysis. The results of this study suggest that these are mixtures of type I and type II collagens. The presence of type II collagen in the human stapes also was demonstrated by immunohistologic methods using monoclonal antibody. The presence of type II collagen in these tissues is significant, since it has been postulated as an autoantigen in autoimmune inner ear disease.