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Model connective tissue systems. A physical study of gelatin gels containing proteoglycans
Author(s) -
Meyer F. A.,
Comper W. D.,
Prestox B. N.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
biopolymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1097-0282
pISSN - 0006-3525
DOI - 10.1002/bip.360100808
Subject(s) - gelatin , chemistry , proteoglycan , osmotic pressure , swelling , dextran , biophysics , tonicity , cartilage , synovial fluid , chromatography , extracellular matrix , biochemistry , chemical engineering , anatomy , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , engineering , biology , osteoarthritis
The swelling behavior of gelatin gels containing proteoglycans (sulphated proteoglycans from bovine intervertebral discs and a hyaluronate proteoglycan from bovine synovial fluid) when immersed in osmotically active solutions of dextran have been measured. The presence of the proteoglycans markedly affects the internal osmotic contribution to the swelling pressure of the gel. These internal osmotic pressures are considerably in excess of the sum of the osmotic activities of the individual components. This behavior is understood in terms of an entropic interaction between the gelatin and the proteoglycan molecules. By use of the “dilute solution” treatment of Flory, the osmotic pressure excesses are related to the volumes and hence dimensions of the interact acting species. A comparison of these values with those calculated by other means shows good agreement. The osmotic behavior of the complex gels can be understood on a mechanistic basis, if we regard the gelatin and sulphated proteoglycans as spheres and the hyaluronate proteoglycan as a rod.