CHARACTERIZATION OF GLYCOCONJUGATES IN THE HUMAN CAMERAL MUCOUS GEL BY LECTINS

A cameral mucous gel (CMG) has been described in human eyes lining the anterior and posterior ocular chambers. We assay a battery of 11 lect ins to characterize the accessible sugars of the presumed glycoprotein s and glycosaminoglycans present in the gel. Results show a predominan ce of alpha-linked sugars over beta-linked ones. There is evidence for the prominence in the gel of alpha-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine and/or al pha-D-galactose, together with alpha-N-acetyl-glucosamine. The sec ond most important sugars are beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and the dissach aride beta-D-galactose-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine. beta-N-acetyl-galacto samine could possibly be identified in third place. Neither fucose nor mannose are detected. These results point towards heparan and perleca n as possible components of the glycidic fraction of the gel, although a specific proteoglycan adapted to the osmotic role of the CMG is not at all unlikely.