On the interaction between polysaccharides and other macromolecules: II. The transport of globular particles through hyaluronic acid solutions

A study of the diffusion behaviour of albumin, α-crystallin, fribrinogen, and turnip yellow mosaic virus in hyaluronic acid media has shown that the diffusion rates of these substances are markedly decreased by the presence of the polysaccharide. The relative decrease in the same as the corresponding effect observed on the sedimentation rates of these substances. Investigation of eleven globular particles with diameters of 47–3650 Å established that the relative decrease of the sedimentation rate of a particle in the presence of hyaluronic acid was essentially a function of the diameter of the particle and the concentration of the polysaccharide and that the effect could be expressed by a simple exponential relationship. The results observed have been interpreted as a macromolecular-sieving effect of the polysaccharide.