Vertebrate Collagenase: Direct Extraction from Animal Skin and Human Synovial Membrane

Abstract

Vertebrate collagenase has been isolated directly from tissues rich in collagen fibers including basement lamella of tadpole back skin and rat dermis and from human rheumatoid synovial membrane by high speed homogenization at 0°C followed by extraction with a neutral salt solution. The activity of collagenase directly extracted from tadpole back skin accounted for about 10–20% of that obtained from the tissue culture. A significant amount of synovial collagenase was present in the membrane in a form of an enzyme-tissue component complex dissociable on treatment with the neutral salt solution at 4°C for 16 hr. These findings strongly suggest that vertebrate collagenase produced by enzyme-forming cells is transported to the tissues rich in collagen fibers and stays there at physiological levels in the controlled degradation of collagen in the tissues.