THE ROLE OF HORMONES IN ADIPOSE GLYCOGEN SYNTHESIS IN THE RAT. INSULIN AND THE HYPERGLYCEMIC FACTO OF THE PANCREAS

Abstract

The study of the role of hormones in fat metabolism has been handicapped by a paucity of methods suitable for investigating this problem. With the increasing evidence, established largely by the isotope technique, that adipose tissue is more dynamically active than had been once thought and may be a site of conversion of carbohydrate to fat, the studies of Wertheimer and his colleagues (Wertheimer, 1927, Tuerkischer and Wertheimer, 1942, Wertheimer, 1945, Tuerkischer and Wertheimer, 1946, Wertheimer and Shapiro, 1948) on adipose glycogen assume increased importance. In a series of papers going back to 1927 these investigators have described the various factors involved in glycogen accumulation in adipose tissue. They have adduced evidence to support the view that glycogen deposition in adipose tissue may be correlated with liponeogenesis from carbohydrate in this tissue. The evidence may be summarized as follows. 1. Conditions favoring glycogen deposition are generally the same as those enhancing fat synthesis.