GLUCOSE OXIDATION BY LIVER SLICES FROM THE DOMESTIC FOWL: ACTIVITY OF THE PHOSPHOGLUCONATE-OXIDATIVE PATHWAY

Abstract

The value of the quotient, CO2 liberated from glucose-1- 14C over 14CO2 liberated from glucose-6-14C, for chicken liver slices has been determined. It did not deviate appreciably from unity for slices from (a) immature and sexually mature females, (b) a group of females at intervals during their transition from sexual immaturity to sexual maturity, (c) immature males, and (d) immature females treated by injection with estradiol monobenzoate. Incubation of the liver slices under anaerobic conditions reduced CO2 liberation to very low values and approximately doubled the quotient. Incubation in the presence of arsenite reduced oxidation but increased the quotient about fourfold. Incubation under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, with addition of pyruvate, increased the quotient value. It is conculded that the phosphogluconate-oxidative pathway, if active at all in chicken liver, plays a subordinate role in carbohydrate metabolism in this tissue compared with its role in carbohydrate metabolism in rat liver.