# STRUCTURE & METABOLISM OF CARTILAGE COLLAGENS

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 1989 · $158,738

## Abstract

Cartilage facilitates articulations between skeletal elements
(e.g., appendicular joints), provides a transitional matrix during
skeletal growth (e.g., growth plate) and protects and supports
nonskeletal tissues and organs (e.g., trachea).  Since the major
organic constituent of cartilage is collagen, the long range goal
of the proposed research are directed toward an understanding of
what governs the biosynthesis, posttranslational modifications,
extracellular interactions and phenotypic expression of cartilage
collagens in normal and disease states.  The proposed experiments
will study the structure and processing of a minor cartilage
collagen (type XI), the pericellular localization of cartilage
collagens in suspension cultures of chondrocytes, the absolute
rates of synthesis and secretion of the cartilage collagens under
various metabolic conditions, and the role of calcium in
determining the type of collagen synthesized.  These studies will
be performed using in vitro metabolic labeling of cultures of chick
embryo sternal cells.  The newly synthesized cartilage collagen
precursors will be identified (where possible) by
immunoprecipitation or immunoblotting using monoclonal antibodies,
purified by a combination of salt precipitations, ion-exchange and
gel filtration chromatography, analyzed by polyacrylamide gel
electrophoresis and quantitated by densitometry.  The calcium
studies will be performed with state-of-the-art fluorometric
techniques and an electroporation device.  These investigations
will further our knowledge of cartilage collagen structure and
metabolism, and provide a framework for an understanding of the
basic mechanisms which underlie normal skeletal growth and
development.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3158202
- **Project number:** 1R01AR037560-01A2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** GM1XX56LEP58
- **Principal Investigator:** CHARLES C CLARK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $158,738
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 1989-03-01 → 1992-02-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3158202

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3158202, STRUCTURE & METABOLISM OF CARTILAGE COLLAGENS (1R01AR037560-01A2). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3158202. Licensed CC0.

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