The Effect of Insulin Upon the Synthesis of Glycogen by Rat Diaphragm in Vitro

Numerous experiments have been reported in an attempt to demonstrate an effect of insulin upon metabolic reactions of isolated tissue in vitro. Among these the effect of insulin in increasing the synthesis of glycogen from glucose by rat diaphragm, first reported by Gemmill (i), is in some respects unique, first, because the experimental technique of the demonstration is extremely simple, and second, because of the relative constancy of the result,s obtained. For these reasons, the studies of Gemmill were extended by a survey of the influence of various factors upon the reaction. These experiments form the substance of this paper.