Glycogen synthesis by rat hepatocytes. 1979

J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals

1. Hepatocytes from starved rats or fed rats whose glycogen content was previously depleted by phlorrhizin or by glucagon injections, form glycogen at rapid rates when incubated with 10mM-glucose, gluconeogenic precursors (lactate, glycerol, fructose etc.) and glutamine. There is a net synthesis of glucose and glycogen. 14C from all three types of substrate is incorporated into glycogen, but the incorporation from glucose represents exchange of carbon atoms, rather than net incorporation. 14C incorporation does not serve to measure net glycogen synthesis from any one substrate. 2. With glucose as sole substrate net glucose uptake and glycogen deposition commences at concentrations of about 12--15mM. Glycogen synthesis increases with glucose concentrations attaining maximal values at 50--60mM, when it is similar to that obtained in the presence of 10mM glucose and lactate plus glutamine. 3. The activities of the active (a) and total (a+b) forms of glycogen synthase and phosphorylase were monitored concomitant with glycogen synthesis. Total synthase was not constant during a 1 h incubation period. Total and active synthase activity increased in parallel with glycogen synthesis. 4. Glycogen phosphorylase was assayed in two directions, by conversion of glycose 1-phosphate into glycogen and by the phosphorylation of glycogen. Total phosphorylase was assyed in the presence of AMP or after conversion into the phosphorylated form by phosphorylase kinase. Results obtained by the various methods were compared. Although the rates measured by the procedures differ, the pattern of change during incubation was much the same. Total phosphorylase was not constant. 5. The amounts of active and total phosphorylase were highest in the washed cell pellet. Incubation in an oxygenated medium, with or without substrates, caused a prompt and pronounced decline in the assayed amounts of active and total enzyme. There was no correlation between phosphorylase activity and glycogen synthesis from gluconeogenic substrates. With fructose, active and total phosphorylase activities increased during glycogen syntheses. 6. In glycogen synthesis from glucose as sole substrate there was a decline in phosphorylase activities with increased glucose concentration and increased rates of glycogen deposition. The decrease was marked in cells from fed rats. 7. To determine whether phosphorolysis and glycogen synthesis occur concurrently, glycogen was prelabelled with [2-3H,1-14C]-galactose. During subsequent glycogen deposition there was no loss of activity from glycogen in spite of high amounts of assayable active phosphorylase.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008099 Liver A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances. Livers
D008112 Liver Glycogen Glycogen stored in the liver. (Dorland, 28th ed) Hepatic Glycogen,Glycogen, Hepatic,Glycogen, Liver
D002250 Carbon Radioisotopes Unstable isotopes of carbon that decay or disintegrate emitting radiation. C atoms with atomic weights 10, 11, and 14-16 are radioactive carbon isotopes. Radioisotopes, Carbon
D005947 Glucose A primary source of energy for living organisms. It is naturally occurring and is found in fruits and other parts of plants in its free state. It is used therapeutically in fluid and nutrient replacement. Dextrose,Anhydrous Dextrose,D-Glucose,Glucose Monohydrate,Glucose, (DL)-Isomer,Glucose, (alpha-D)-Isomer,Glucose, (beta-D)-Isomer,D Glucose,Dextrose, Anhydrous,Monohydrate, Glucose
D006005 Phosphorylases A class of glucosyltransferases that catalyzes the degradation of storage polysaccharides, such as glucose polymers, by phosphorolysis in animals (GLYCOGEN PHOSPHORYLASE) and in plants (STARCH PHOSPHORYLASE). Glucan Phosphorylase,Phosphorylase,alpha-Glucan Phosphorylases
D006006 Glycogen Synthase An enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of D-glucose from UDPglucose into 1,4-alpha-D-glucosyl chains. EC 2.4.1.11. Glycogen (Starch) Synthase,Glycogen Synthetase,Glycogen Synthase I,Synthase D,Synthase I,UDP-Glucose Glycogen Glucosyl Transferase,Synthase, Glycogen,Synthetase, Glycogen,UDP Glucose Glycogen Glucosyl Transferase
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013217 Starvation Lengthy and continuous deprivation of food. (Stedman, 25th ed)
D051381 Rats The common name for the genus Rattus. Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus
D066298 In Vitro Techniques Methods to study reactions or processes taking place in an artificial environment outside the living organism. In Vitro Test,In Vitro Testing,In Vitro Tests,In Vitro as Topic,In Vitro,In Vitro Technique,In Vitro Testings,Technique, In Vitro,Techniques, In Vitro,Test, In Vitro,Testing, In Vitro,Testings, In Vitro,Tests, In Vitro,Vitro Testing, In

Related Publications

J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals
January 1990, The Journal of biological chemistry,
J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals
July 1984, Biochemical and biophysical research communications,
J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals
January 1981, Indian journal of experimental biology,
J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals
December 1987, The Biochemical journal,
J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals
March 1998, The Biochemical journal,
J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals
June 1985, Endocrinology,
J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals
November 2002, FEBS letters,
J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals
May 2003, Diabetes, obesity & metabolism,
J Katz, and S Golden, and P A Wals
January 1984, The American journal of physiology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!