Glycosaminoglycans from fresh water fish processing discard - Isolation, structural characterization, and osteogenic activity.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) play an important role in various biological activities. A lot of them are present in
fish processing discards from abattoirs and fish processing industries which can serve as a valuable source of
GAGs. We have, in this paper, isolated and characterized GAGs from fish processing discard (head) generated
from the processing of Labeo rohita (L. rohita) and Piaractus brachypomus (P. brachypomus) and have determined
their ability to promote osteogenic activity. Isolated GAGs showed higher amounts of chondroitin sulfate/
dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) than heparan sulfate (HS). CS/DS from both the fish have a distinct disaccharide composition indicating differences in their structure. Biological activity, in terms of promoting osteogenesis, evaluated in MC3T3-E1 cells and primary cells of the calvaria showed that early mineralization, characterized by
alkaline phosphatase staining and activity, and late mineralization, was supported by both the GAGs.