Collagen of fibrocartilage: a distinctive molecular phenotype in bovine meniscus.
Fibrocartilage of bovine knee meniscus was analyzed for major and minor collagen constituents. The main fraction (approximately 98%) of pepsin-solubilized collagen consisted of type I with a small proportion (less than 10%) of type III molecules. The minor fraction (1--2%) isolated by salt precipitation could be further resolved into type V collagen that consisted of alpha 1(V) and alpha 2(V) chains and a type II-like molecule with chains that had all the characteristics of the 3 alpha variant of alpha 1(II) found in hyaline cartilage. The articular surface zone of the meniscus appeared 2--3-fold enriched in these minor collagens compared with deeper tissue, though qualitatively the same distinctive collagen phenotype was evident throughout.
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000032:analysis*; D002417:Cattle; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D003094:Collagen / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial; D010641:Phenotype
D000596:Amino Acids; D003094:Collagen