Proteoglycan complex and proteoglycan subunit polydispersity. Study by isopycnic centrifugation in cesium sulfate density gradients.

A true isopycnic centrifugation method for the study of the bovine nasal cartilage proteoglycan polydispersity is presented. The use of cesium sulfate as gradient forming salt instead of cesium chloride allowed proteoglycan banding without any sedimentation at the bottom of the centrifuge tube. Apparent buoyant densities of proteoglycan monomer and proteoglycan aggregate were different. The present method provides a useful tool for the study of proteoglycan polydispersity and also allows us to follow the distribution of the link proteins in different proteoglycan extracts.