The effect of SDS and 2-mercaptoethanol on the supramolecular structure of human gastric mucus gel

Abstract The solubility of freshly obtained human gastric mucus gel was investigated using solutions of Tris buffer, urea, SDS, and 2-mercaptoethanol. The best solubility was achieved in SDS solution, whereas 2-mercaptoethanol did not solubilize mucus gel. The degree of mucus depolymerization with the solubilizers was evaluated using light scattering and viscosity measurements. In mucus fractions, neutral carbohydrate, protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and cholesterol were determined. Some aspects of mucus composition and structure are discussed.