Adrenal Glycogen in the Guinea Pig and in the White Rat ,

Abstract

The total glycogen concentration in the guinea pig adrenal is of the order of 25 mg% on a wet tissue basis, and is not appreciably altered by fasting or by inadequate ascorbic acid intake. The total glycogen concentration in the rat adrenal after fasting periods of 8 to 48 hours ranges generally from 175 to 200 mg%. It does not differ significantly in the two glands of a pair. The non-fasted rat on a regular dietary regimen, or the fasted rat given glucose or fructose has considerably less adrenal glycogen than the fasted animal. The adrenal of the rat, like the liver, gastrocnemius muscle, diaphragm, and heart contains a glycogen fraction which can be readily extracted from the fresh tissue with 10% trichloracetic acid. This fraction accounts for about one-half of the total glycogen which can be isolated from the adrenal of fed or fasted rats after the usual procedure of alkaline digestion of the tissue.