A Study of the Chemical Composition of the Costal Cartilage of the Guinea-Pig in Relation to the Weight and Age of the Animal

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Abstract
In this paper we have studied the modifications of certain chemical constituents of the costal cartilage of the guinea pig in relation to the weight of the animal. We estimated carbon (index of organic matter), ash, glucuronic acid (index of chondroitin sulphuric acid) and the aldopolysaccharides (such as glycogen and the neutral polysaccharides containing an amino sugar over and above the aldoses). The specificity of the methods of estimation is discussed. With increasing weight the content of carbon drop progressively and the content of ash increases. In the same conditions the acid polysaccharides and the aldopolysaccharides decrease markedly in relation to the dry weight of cartilage. This decrease persists if the values are related to milligrams of carbon; this shows that the drop in polysaccharides is not solely due to progressive mineralization of the tissue, but also to a real decrease within the organic matter itself. It is interesting to relate this decrease in polysaccharides to the desiccation of old cartilage. By making the same analysis on 4 guinea pigs of about 5 years of age figures were obtained which are practically identical with those of the heaviest of the older animals of the preceding study (about 2 years old). The content of hydroxyproline in relation to the corresponding quantity of organic matter remains constant in animals weighing from 80 to 700 g and then drops progressively with advancing age. From these observations one may conclude that an increase in the percentage of residual proteins in the organic matrice takes place, which is confirmed by the observed increased arginine level.

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