Heparan sulphates from porcine intestinal mucosa. Preparation and physicochemical properties.

A series of fractions of heparan sulphate has been prepared from the glycosaminoglycuronans of porcine intestinal mucosa, in order to relate their physicochemical properties with their biochemical and biological activities. They fall into three classes which may be distinguished by differences in molecular weight distribution and in extent of sulphation. For heterogeneous polymers such as heparan sulphates purification and fractionation must be regarded as interchangeable terms, and some preparative procedures appear to have rather specific effects on the properties of samples isolated by their use. Such considerations apply particularly in the undemarcated boundary region between heparan sulphates and heparin, a region which includes certain 'high activity' heparin fractions of current biological and clinical interest.