OBSERVATIONS ON THE SALIVARY MUCOIDS

¹ Department of Biochemistry, University of Sydney and Institute of Dental Research, United Dental Hospital, Sydney, Australia

The ACRA titer of saliva has been determined as a measure of mucoid content. It has been shown that there is a wide variation in the mucoid content of saliva from one person.

Preparations of mucoid which redissolve to give viscous solutions, and thus have not been depolymerized to any extent, have been obtained. The precipitate obtained with citric acid has been chosen as the most suitable.

Some of the properties of the mucoid of whole saliva and the mucoid preparation have been investigated; the isolated product differs from the salivary mucoid in stability to heat and in precipitability by weak acids.

The buffering capacity of the mucoid preparation was decreased by dialysis and increased on enzyme depolymerization. Analysis of the mucoid preparation showed 7.0 per cent total nitrogen and 34 per cent hexosamine.