Extraction, isolation and characterization of neutral salt soluble type V collagen from fetal calf skin

Collagen was extracted with neutral salt solution and examined for the presence of type V collagen. A fraction which was insoluble in both 0.02 M Na2HPO4, pH 9.2 and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) pH 7.2 at 4 degrees C contained both alpha 1(V)- and alpha 2(V)-chains demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, diethylaminoethyl cellulose ion exchange chromatography, amino acid analysis and segment long spacing (SLS) crystallites. SLS crystallites showed a globular N-terminal extension peptide attached to the type V collagen monomer. Ion exchange chromatography also demonstrated the presence of a third, minor component, which was identified as the alpha 3(V)-chain. In certain extractions, components corresponding to the partially processed procollagen chains of type V collagen were also observed.