QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR THE BIO-ASSAY OF THE GLYCOGENIC ACTIVITY OF STEROIDS AND URINARY EXTRACTS1

Abstract

THIS PROJECT was undertaken to develop a sensitive and specific method for the quantitative bio-assay of urinary extracts with respect to their glycogenic activity. (Dobriner, 1944, 1945; Eggleston, 1944.) The presence of such activity in these extracts was demonstrated by Venning, Hoffman and Browne, (1942). Reinecke and Kendall (1942) reported a method, to be called method A, for the assay of adrenal cortical extracts based on their glycogenic action in fasted, adrenalectomized rats. This method has been extensively studied by Olsen et at. (1944). In this laboratory it was found that to obtain a significant increase over the fasting liver glycogen level relatively large amounts of cortical hormones or urinary extracts were necessary. A method that would yield positive results with the least possible quantity of material was therefore sought. The use of mice in place of rats did not increase the sensitivity sufficiently. The three procedures which finally were evolved are based on the concept that adrenal cortical hormones repress the breakdown of liver glycogen in adrenalectomized animals (Britton, 1932).