Comparison of cell coat acid mucopolysaccharides of normal liver and various ascites hepatoma cells.

avoiding cytolysis or membrane disruption. After incuba tion, the mixtures were centrifuged, and 105,000 x g supernatants were subjected to gel filtration. The macromolecular peak fractions thus obtained contained about 2% radio activity of the whole cells or 50% radioactivity of the plasma membranes. They showed several physical and chemical features characteristic of acid mucopolysaccharides. The liver cell coat acid mucopolysaccharide was resistant to chondroitinase as well as hyaluronidase treatment and mi grated as a single band under various electrophoretic condi tions. On the other hand, cell coat acid mucopolysaccharide fractions, prepared in the same way from various ascites hepatoma cells, showed heterogenous acid mucopolysac charide components, including chondroitin sulfates and other unidentified acid mucopolysaccharides to various ex tents. The pattern of cell coat acid mucopolysaccharides components seems to be specific to each ascites hepatoma cell strain.