In Vitro Synthesis of Normal Bone (Type I) Collagen by Bones of Paget's Disease Patients

Abstract
Bone samples were obtained from five Paget's disease patients and one normal individual at surgery. We characterized the collagen content of bone samples chemically, using sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis and cyanogen bromide peptide analysis, and also determined the type of collagen produced in vitro by these samples. Both Pagetic and normal bones make normal bone collagen with the α1 to α2 chains ratio equal to 2:1. However, Pagetic bones synthesized three to four times more protein and collagen per milligram of tissue as compared to normal bones.