Rat Epiphyseal Cartilage: III. Metabolism of Glucose-C14, in vitro.

Summary The metabolism of glucose-C14 by rat epiphyseal cartilage incubated in vitro has been investigated. While 65% of the metabolized carbon label was recovered in lactate and CO2, 20% was observed incorporated into the surviving cartilage fragments after 3 hours of incubation. The cartilage radioactivity was further divided into a water-soluble cellular intermediate fraction and the tissue macromolecules composed of proteinpolysaccharide and collagen. The effect of media alterations (anaerobism, iodo-acetate, glucose concentration, amino acids, and vitamins) on glycolysis and the incorporation of radioactivity into these cartilage fractions were studied. The relation between glycolysis and the incorporation of glucose into cartilage and the macromolecules was discussed.