1995 Volume 14 Issue 3 Pages 155-164
We examined first, the suitable level concentration of L-ascorbic acid (AsA) and second, the vitamin C activity of 2-O-α-D-glycopyranosyll-ascorbic acid (AA-2G) on the mineralization, and the collagen synthesis of the embryonic chick femurs in 10 days cultivation in organ culture system. In the first experiment, the contents of minerals (Ca, P and Mg) of the cultured femurs reached a maximum at the level of 0.6 mM AsA and decreased at the levels of 1.2 mM and more. The activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) of the cultured femurs showed maximum values at the level of 1.2 mM AsA. The suitable concentration of AsA for the 10-day embryonic chick femurs was 0.6 mM. The second experiment focused the contents of minerals, total protein, collagen, the molar ratio of hydroxyproline to proline and the enzyme activity of the cultured femurs. These three reached a maximum at the level of 0.06 mM AA-2G and showed no difference in the values of analyzed substances except for the collagen at the levels of 0.06 mM and more. Among equimolor amount (0.6 mM) of AsA derivatives, AA-2G showed the vitamin C activity comparable to that of L-ascorbic acid-2-O-phosohate (AA-2P), and had the ability more than that of Ask These results indicate that AA-2G is extremely stable in the culture medium and has the vitamin C activity comparable to that of AA-2P. Therefore it is very useful AsA derivative for bone culture in the medium containing fetal bovine serum.
