Localization of chondromucoprotein in cartilage.

Abstract

Antibody to porcine cartilage chondromucoprotein was used to stain sections of costal, articular, and tracheal cartilage by the fluorescent antibody technique. Chondromucoprotein is present in the lacunar rim. In the surrounding matrix, fluorescent staining which was less marked was particularly associated with the interterritorial regions. Alcian-blue staining sometimes gave, the reverse of the fluorescent staining pattern in that there was strong staining of a fairly wide perilacunar zone but very little uptake in interterritorial regions. Treatment of sections with hyaluronidase greatly increased fluorescent antibody staining both in intensity and extent. At the same time, alcian-blue uptake was eliminated. The action of hyaluronidase was most marked on unfixed sections. The hyaluronidase effect may be due to degradation and removal of poly-saccharide providing for increased access of antibody to the protein moiety of chondromucoprotein. Regional staining differences could be due to different composition of the chondromucoprotein polymer in the various areas.