The chemical reactions and pathways involving hyaluronan, the naturally occurring anionic form of hyaluronic acid, any member of a group of glycosaminoglycans, the repeat units of which consist of beta-1,4 linked D-glucuronyl-beta-(1,3)-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. [ https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=bn%3A0198506732 GOC:mah ]