Collagen polymorphism: characterization of molecules with the chain composition (alpha 1 (3)03 in human tissues.

Collagen moleculess with the chain comizposition [alpha1(III)](3), have been isolated from pepsin-solubilized collagen of dermis, aorta, and leiomlyoma of the uterus by differential salt precipitation. On denaturation, approximately 90 percent of this collagen is recovered as a gamma component (300,000 daltons). Reduction and alkylation of the high-molecular-weight component yields alpha1(III) chains (95,000 daltons). In addition to containing cysteine, alpha1(III) chains exhibit several other compositional differences when compared to alpha1(I), alpha1(II), or alpha2 chains from human tissues.