Binding of heparin and heparan sulphate to rat liver cells

The binding of pig mucosal heparin and rat liver heparan sulphate to rat liver cells is demonstrated. The process is shown to be time dependent, reversible and saturable. The maximal amount of heparin bound to the cells exceeds that of heparan sulphate, on a molar basis. The binding of both polysaccharides is specific, in that excess amounts of glycosaminoglycans other than heparin-related do not affect the binding reaction. The binding of heparin to cells was markedly reduced when incubations were performed at low temperature or after trypsin treatment of the cells.