Sulfated mucopolysaccharide synthesis and secretion in endothelial cell cultures

Abstract

The cells that line the lumen of rabbit aorta have been obtained in a quantity sufficient for mass culture. Autoradiography of the cells incubated with 35S-sulfuric acid and electrophoretic analysis of 35S mucopolysaccharides extracted from the cells and from the medium indicate that these cells synthesize and secrete various species of sulfated mucopolysaccharides. In the steady state, only one major and one minor component are found inside the cell. The major intracellular component is resistant to degradation by chondroitinase ABC. Two major fractions and one minor fraction are found in the culture medium at the end of a 24 h labelling period. Both of the major components extracted from the medium are not present in the cell in an appreciable amount.