Chemical characteristics of follicular glycosaminoglycans

The two glycosaminoglycans found in FF, DS and HS were isolated from fluid of atretic and non-atretic bovine follicles and simultaneously separated by anion exchange high performance liquid chromatography. Heparan sulfate eluted with the apex of the peak at .071 M NaCl. Dermatan sulfate eluted with the apex of the peak at .353 M NaCl. The concentrations of DS and HS were greater in atretic follicles compared to non-atretic follicles and decreased as follicles size increased, as previously reported. The proportion of DS was approximately 90% of the total glycosaminoglycan concentration of all FF samples. The ratio of galactosamine to glucosamine in DS increased as follicle size increased, being 3.44 +/- .35, 7.65 +/- 2.4, and 15.9 +/- 3.8 (P less than .05) for small, medium and large follicles, respectively.