Dermatan sulphate and mucin glycopeptides from the human uterine cervix

High molecular weight glycopeptides and glycosaminoglycans were isolated from the human uterine cervix. The major part of the material (82%) was derived from cervical mucins. The remainder contained hyaluronic acid (3%), heparan sulphate (2%) and dermatan sulphate (13%). Chondroitin sulphate and keratan sulphate were not present, but chondroitin sulphate-like segments were included in the dermatan sulphate. The composition of the cervix apart from the mucus-filled crypts is similar to that of other fibrous connective tissues.