Quantitative radiochromatographic analysis of the major groups of carbohydrates in cultured animal cells.

Procedures are described for selective quantitation of the monosaccharide content of glycogen, chondroitin sulfates, hyaluronic acid, glycoproteins, glycolipids, N-acetylneuraminic acid, and the phosphorylated carbohydrate pools in cultured animal cells. Monosaccharides are released from each type of carbohydrate by selective hydrolysis with enzymes and/or acid and are analyzed by radiochromatographic procedures which give reliable quantitative data with only a few nanomoles of each monosaccharide. Analyses of the entire spectrum of carbohydrates can be carried out using 7–8 mg of animal cell protein.