Effect of blood sugar levels on glycogen content of hypophysis and adrenal glands.

Abstract

SummaryGlycogen content of the components of hypophysis and adrenal glands is determined. In the normal rat, neurohypophy-sis contains more glycogen than does the adenohypophysis (439 vs 298 μg per 100 mg dry weight of tissue). In the alloxan-diabetic animals, the medullary glycogen content was greatly elevated. Hyperglycemia produced by glucose injection caused little change in the glycogen content of neuro- and adenohypophysis and also in the adrenal medulla, but significantly decreased that of the adrenal cortex. Fall in blood sugar levels (insulin injection) decreases the glycogen content of all the components of the hypophysis and adrenal glands. Perhaps the changes in glycogen content are related to hormonal synthesis and secretion. Although injection of ACTH causes a 27% decrease in the glycogen content of the normal rat adrenal cortex at 2 and 4 hours, no significant decrease was found in the diabetic animals at these time periods.