Collagen Heterogeneity Between Aorta and Vena Cava in Man

Abstract

At least four genetically-distinct collagen phenotypes designated type I, II, III and IV collagen are isolated from mammalian tissues. In human arterial wall, both type I and III collagens are found out, whereas the latter predominates.
In the present study, two distinct types of colagen were extracted by limited pepsin digestion from human aortic media and vena cava at different ages including fetuses. Human aortic media contained approximately 55% type I and 45% type III collagen on the basis of dry weights of salt-fractioned precipitates. In contrast, human vena cava consisted of approximately 75% type I and 25% type III collagen. No age-related change of type I/type III collagen ratio was found between the aortic media and vena cava. The results described here indicate that the arterial smooth muscle cell which may play an important role on atherogenesis, has a sufficiently different expression in relation to collagen synthesis comparing to that of vena cava in man.