Connective tissue growth stimulated by carrageenin. 1. The formation and removal of collagen

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Abstract
Subcutaneous injection of carrageenin into guinea pigs stimulates the formation of new connective tissue which is resorbed after 4-6 weeks. The change in concentration with time of neutral-salt-soluble collagen, acid-soluble collagen and insoluble collagen, and the incorporation of [alpha]-C14-glycine into these collagens, were studied. Maximum wet weight of new tissue is produced between the 7th and 9th day and disappears after 4-6 weeks, although the total concentration of collagen in the tissue does not reach a maximum until the 14th day. Most of the insoluble collagen is formed between the 5th and 9th day. Neutral-salt-soluble collagen appears before acid-soluble collagen, the concentration increasing up to the 5th day remaining constant and then increasing rapidly as the tissue is resorbed. The concentration of acid-soluble collagen increases throughout the experimental period. The highest specific activity is found in neutral-salt-soluble collagen, maximum activity occurring at 10 hours, with a half-life of 18-20 hours. The activity-time curves of acid-soluble collagen and insoluble collagen are similar, maximum activity occurring at 12 and 24 hours respectively and being very much lower than the activity of neutral-salt-soluble collagen. It is concluded that neutral-salt-soluble collagen is the precursor of collagen fibers and can either be transformed into acid-soluble collagen or add on to pre-existing acid-soluble collagen and insoluble collagen. A water-soluble protein containing hydroxyproline was also found.