THE ACID MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES OF MAMMALIAN SKIN

Abstract

SUMMARY.— Specimens of skin were assayed by the method of Mier and Wood (1969) for hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphate. No major variations in the concentration of these substances were found to occur in different mammalian species, different sites of the body, or between animals of different ages. In general, the normal ranges were quite narrow; the widest variation occurred in human skin. Most of the acid mucopoly‐saccharides were shown to be located in the dermis, the concentration in the epidermis being very low. These results have been discussed in the light of the existing literature on acid mucopolysaccharides.