The Effect of Oestrogenic Treatment on the Acid Mucopolysaccharide Pattern in Skin of Mice

Acid mucopolysaccharides obtained from the skin of the back of mice were determined after precipitation with cetylpyridinium chloride and cellulose‐column fractionation. The results are given as μmol uronic acid per gram dry fat free tissue. Following treatment with oestradiol monobenzoate the hyaluronic acid (HA) increased from 2.7 to 14.6, while the chondroitin sulphates were unaffected (3.7 to 4.2). The increase (from 1.3 to 10.8) of a fraction probably consisting of low molecular HA was considered as reflecting an intensified metabolic activity of HA in the connective tissue. A very close linear correlation (r = 0.924) was demonstrated between the increase in the high molecular HA and the increase in tissue water.