Cowman M K, Li M, Balazs E A
Department of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, and Materials Science and Herman F. Mark Polymer Research Institute, Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, New York 11201, USA.
Biophys J. 1998 Oct;75(4):2030-7. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(98)77645-3.
The extracellular matrix polysaccharide hyaluronan has been examined by tapping mode atomic force microscopy. High molecular weight hyaluronan was deposited on mica from dilute aqueous solution and imaged in air. Long unbranched chains could be observed and were found to be compatible with the known covalent structure of hyaluronan. In addition, chains with evidence of intramolecular association were observed. In the simplest cases, the association took the form of loops stabilized by antiparallel double-stranded (probably double-helical) segments. In other cases, the polarity of the associated regions could not be determined. Extensive intramolecular association in long hyaluronan chains resulted in a fenestrated structure of the same type as that formed by intermolecular association at higher concentrations.
已通过轻敲模式原子力显微镜对细胞外基质多糖透明质酸进行了研究。将高分子量透明质酸从稀水溶液沉积在云母上，并在空气中成像。可以观察到长的无分支链，并且发现其与已知的透明质酸共价结构相符。此外，还观察到有分子内缔合迹象的链。在最简单的情况下，缔合采取由反平行双链（可能是双螺旋）片段稳定的环的形式。在其他情况下，缔合区域的极性无法确定。长透明质酸链中广泛的分子内缔合导致形成了一种与在较高浓度下分子间缔合形成的结构相同类型的有孔结构。
