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Structure for Hyaluronic Acid

Nature New Biology volume 235, pages 253–254 (1972)Cite this article

Abstract

THE mucopolysaccharide hyaluronic acid exists naturally as a hydrated gel. It is the constituent of synovial fluid which acts as a lubricant; it also occurs in the vitreous humour where its function is probably to maintain the precise shape of the eye. Chemically it is a regular, unbranched polymer with a repeating unit of the type (-N-G-)n where N is N-acetylglucosamine and G is glucuronic acid. The glycosidic linkages N to G and G to N are 1e, 4e and le, 3e respectively (Fig. 1). Our arguments are based on the postulate that both glucopyranose rings are in the C1 chain conformation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Royal Fort, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TL

    E. D. T. ATKINS & J. K. SHEEHAN

Authors
  1. E. D. T. ATKINS
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  2. J. K. SHEEHAN
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ATKINS, E., SHEEHAN, J. Structure for Hyaluronic Acid. Nature New Biology 235, 253–254 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio235253a0

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