THE MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES OF AVIAN OVIDUCT, EGG, SKIN, AND COMB, AND OF PORCINE SKIN

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Abstract
Samples of the following tissues were hydrolyzed by pepsin and by trypsin: magnum, isthmus, shell glands, and vagina of avian oviduct; avian and porcine skins; avian egg; avian comb. Unhydrolyzed mucopolysaccharides were precipitated by ethanol, purified, and then fractionated by increasing concentrations of ethanol. The purity of the enzymic preparation influenced the yields and degree of purification of the mucopolysaccharide fractions but scarcely affected the composition of the mucopolysaccharides in the fractions. In general, mucopolysaccharides from skins, comb, and shell glands had relatively low ratios of sugars to hexuronic acid whereas those from magnum, isthmus, and egg had relatively high ratios. The higher the hexuronic acid content of a mucopolysaccharide, the higher was the yield of mucopolysaccharide. Fractions precipitated by lower ethanol concentrations had lower ratios of sugars to hexuronic acid than those precipitated at higher ethanol concentrations.