Specific degradation of hyaluronic acid and its rheological properties

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0141-3910(97)00194-8Get rights and content

Abstract

High molecular hyaluronic acid was degraded by ultrasonication to definite molecular weight varying from 0.4 to 2.0 × 106g mol−1. The weight average molecular weight (Mw) of degraded hyaluronic acid in 0.2 M NaCl was determined by size exclusion chromatography combined with multi-angle-laser-light-scattering (SEC-MALLS). Comparison measurements by using an Ubbelohde viscosimeter and a low shear rate viscosimeter (Zimm-Crothers) were performed for all sonicated samples. The relation of Mw of the hyaluronic acid to the intrinsic viscosity [η] was calculated according to the Mark-Houwink equation, [η] = K Mwα. The coefficients K = 5.075 10−2 and α = 0.716 determined by Ubbelohde and K = 3.023 10−2 and α = 0.770 by Zimm-Crothers viscosimeter. Furthermore, the dependence on pH and the influence of bivalent cations were investigated. In the range of pH 5.0 to 11.0 the intrinsic viscosity [η] was constant. At pH less than 5.0, the intrinsic viscosity [η] and the molecule volume decreased probably due to the protonation of glucoronic acid groups. Most bivalent cations do not affect the rheological behaviour significantly, only Fe2+ causes to decrease of the intrinsic viscosity [η] and the molecule volume by intramolecular chain linkage combined with displacement of hydrating water.

Reference (17)

  • RehakovaM. et al.

    Int. J. Biol. Macromol.

    (1994)
  • LaurentT.C. et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1960)
  • BothnerH. et al.

    Int. J. Biol. Macromol.

    (1988)
  • BerriaudN. et al.

    Int. J. Biol. Macromol.

    (1994)
  • LaurentT.C.

    Adv. Microcirc.

    (1987)
  • AsheimA. et al.

    Acta Vet. Scand.

    (1976)
  • NumikiO. et al.

    Clin. Orthop.

    (1982)
  • KingS.R. et al.

    Surgery

    (1991)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

View full text