Abstract
Summary
Total urinary glycosaminoglycans (GAG) and urine volumes were measured in relation to perineal size during the menstrual cycle in the baboon. Perineal deturgescence was accompanied by a marked increase in urine volume. The increase in urine volume was in some cycles accompanied by a marked transient increase in urinary GAG. This increase was due largely to non-sulfated GAG, tentatively identified as hyaluronic acid and lower molecular wt products derived from it. Evidence is presented, showing that these GAG originate in the perineum. The results show that when nonsulfated GAG are mobilized from the baboon perineum by normal regulatory mechanisms, they are not quantitatively reflected in urine, suggesting the presence of effective mechanisms for their degradation.
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