Degradation of glycosaminoglycans by extracts of calf vitreous hyalocytes.

The ability of extracts of calf vitreous hyalocytes to catalyze the degradation of glycosaminoglycans was studied by incubation with radioactively labeled substrates. The degradation of the polymeric substrates to lower molecular weight products was assayed by three methods: (1) paper chromatographic separation of low molecular weight, mobile digestion products from undigested, high molecular weight material which remains at or near the origin; (2) loss of the ability of the glycosaminoglycan to be precipitated by cetylpyridinium chloride; (3) gel chromatography to separate low molecular weight digestion products, which appear in the retarded volume, from undegraded, high molecular weight material, which is eluted in the void volume. The acidic pH optimum of the reaction suggests a lysosomal origin of the enzyme activity.