The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 73, Issue 7 1064-1074, Copyright © 1991 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Characterization of aggregating proteoglycans from the proliferative, maturing, hypertrophic, and calcifying zones of the cartilaginous physis
Y Matsui, M Alini, C Webber and AR Poole
Joint Diseases Laboratory, Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The introduction of a new microanalytical approach has made it possible to
investigate the molecular structure and content of proteoglycans within the
extracellular matrix of the physis when the volumes of the matrix and the
cells change before mineralization of the extracellular matrix. By using
extracts of serial frozen sections with a combination of gel chromatography
and chemical, radioimmunoassay, and morphometric analyses, we demonstrated
that, in the bovine fetal physis, the content of large aggregating
proteoglycans reaches a maximum in the extracellular matrix of the
hypertrophic zone, in the region where calcification begins, at the time
when calcification starts. Morphometric analyses revealed that, at this
time, the volume of matrix is reduced to a minimum. There was no evidence
that the remaining proteoglycans were reduced in size, nor was aggregation
changed at the time when calcification was initiated. Thus, contrary to
earlier reports, there is no indication that these molecules need to be
degraded and removed for calcification to begin, although a progressive
loss of proteoglycans clearly occurs as the volume of the matrix is
reduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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