Distribution of chondroitin 4-sulfate and chondroitin 6-sulfate in human articular and growth cartilage.

The relative concentrations of chondroitin 4- and chondroitin 6-sulfate in different normal human cartilages are reported. Articular cartilages contained higher concentrations of chondroitin 6-sulfate, whereas growth cartilages contained nearly equal amounts of chondroitin 4- and chondroitin 6-sulfate. Adult cartilages, in which the calcification process is already complete, contained only chondroitin 6-sulfate. The results suggest that chondroitin 6-sulfate is related to the integrity of the articular surfaces, whereas chondroitin 4-sulfate seems to be an important factor in the calcification process. The pathogenesis of the bone and cartilage alterations that occur in patients affected by heritable disorders of the sulfation of chondroitin sulfate are discussed in view of these findings.