ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF GLYCOSAMINOGLYCAN-PEPTIDE FRACTIONS FROM AVIAN TISSUES AND STUDIES ON THE INCORPORATION OF CARBON-14 LABELED CARBOHYDRATE PRECURSORS IN VIVO AND IN VITRO

Glycosaminoglycan-peptide complexes (GAG-P) and some proteoglycans from long bones, breast muscle, comb, crop, gizzard, heart, infundibulum, intestines, isthmus, kidney, leg muscle, liver, lung, magnum, oesophagus, ovary, pancreas, proventriculus, skin, shell gland, spleen, trachea, vagina, wattle, cecum, egg yolk and adipose tissue of the white leghorn hen were isolated and analysed for constituent units. Techniques of identification included infrared spectroscopy, cellulose acetate electrophoresis, colorimetric reactions, ion-exchange chromatography and scanning electron microscopy. The in vivo incorporation of {('14)C}-glucosamine (GlcN) and {('14)C}-galactosamine (GalN) for 1-, 2-, 120-, and 240-hour periods, and {('14)C}-glucose (Glc) and {('14)C}-galactose (Gal) for a 48-hour period into whole tissues, acetone-extracted tissues and GAG-P were investigated. Radioactivity in excreta was measured. ('14)CO(,2) from the {('14)C}-hexose treated birds was determined. In vitro incorporation of ('14)C from {('14)C}-Glc, {('14)C}-Gal, {('14)C}-GlcN, {('14)C}-GalN, {('14)C}-fructose and {('14)C}N-acetylneuraminic acid were studied.