Liver glycogen

THIS paper describes the application of Haworth's "end-group assay" method [Haworth & Percival, 1932] to the elucidation of the molecular structure of glycogen formed in rabbits' livers subsequent to the oral administration of galactose.The glycogen was methylated and then hydrolysed and the cleavage products were separated and identified by the author's procedure [Bell, 1935].A yield of 6 % of 2:3:4:6-tetramethylglucose was obtained, corresponding with a molecular unit in the methylated glycogen of 18 glucose units.The following table records the general results of the investigation which was carried out on two groups of rabbits, A 25 animals and B 10 animals.The experimental conditions were purposely different in the two groups.Table I.Group A B Fasted for 24 hrs.48 hrs.Galactose fed 5 g./kg.