van der Korst J K, Willekens F L, Lansink A G, Henrichs A M
Am J Pathol. 1977 Dec;89(3):605-20.
Age-associated pigmentation of human costal cartilage is caused by the accumulation of a brown water-soluble substance which can be only be extracted after proteolytic disruption of the cartilage. After isolation by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography, the compound was identified as an acid glycopeptide. In contrast to ochronotic pigment and an artificial pigment derived by oxidation of homogentistic acid in alkaline solution, the age-associated cartilage pigment was strongly fluorescent and did not form insoluble complexes with cetylpyridinium chloride. Moreover, age-associated cartilage pigment is alkali resistant, in contrast to the ochronotic pigment. The pigment differs from lipofuscin in being strongly hydrophilic and having no affinity for fat stains. The unidentified chromophore could not be separated from the glycopeptide molecule.
人类肋软骨的年龄相关性色素沉着是由一种棕色水溶性物质的积累引起的，这种物质只有在软骨经蛋白水解破坏后才能被提取出来。通过凝胶过滤和离子交换色谱法分离后，该化合物被鉴定为酸性糖肽。与褐黄病色素和在碱性溶液中由尿黑酸氧化产生的人工色素相比，年龄相关性软骨色素具有强烈的荧光，并且不与十六烷基吡啶氯化物形成不溶性复合物。此外，与褐黄病色素不同，年龄相关性软骨色素具有耐碱性。该色素与脂褐素的不同之处在于其具有很强的亲水性，并且对脂肪染色剂没有亲和力。尚未鉴定出的发色团无法与糖肽分子分离。
