AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 243, Issue 3 450-R453, Copyright © 1982 by American Physiological Society
Liver glycogen content decreases during meals in rats
W. Langhans, N. Geary and E. Scharrer
The effects of feeding on liver glycogen content and blood glucose in the
hepatic and hepatic portal veins were investigated in rats. Liver glycogen
content decreased about 25% during meals both in rats refed after 12 h food
deprivation (23 +/- 1 to 17 +/- 1 mg glycogen/g liver) and in ad
libitum-fed rats taking fully spontaneous meals (44 +/- 2 to 32 +/- 2
mg/g). Liver glycogen began to increase within 30 min after meals in ad
libitum-fed rats. Hepatic vein blood glucose levels at meal onset (118 +/-
4 mg/dl in the food-deprived rats, 127 +/- 4 in ad libitum-fed rats) and at
meal end (155 +/- 3 and 166 +/- 5 mg/dl, respectively) were similar in the
two groups. Portal vein blood glucose increased during meals in the
previously food-deprived rats (83 +/- 4 to 116 +/- 6 mg/dl) but not in the
ad libitum-fed rats (127 +/- 5 to 132 +/- 3 mg/dl). Mechanisms that may
elicit prandial glycogenolysis and the possible role of this effect in the
production of meal ending satiety are discussed.
