Hyaluronan, an extracellular matrix component, is a high molecular weight glycosaminoglycan composed of disaccharide repeats of N-acetylglucosamine and glucuronic acid. This relatively simple structure is conserved throughout all mammals, suggesting that HA is a biomolecule of considerable importance (Chen and Abatangelo, 1999). In the body, HA occurs in the salt form, hyaluronate, and is found in high concentrations in several soft connective tissues, including skin, umbilical cord, synovial fluid, and vitreous humor. Significant amounts of HA are also found in lung, kidney, brain, and muscle tissues.