Glycogen Synthesis in Biotin-Deficient Rat Liver 1 2

Abstract

Summary

The effect of biotin deficiency on the in vivo synthesis and the level of glycogen in livers of rats during various stages of the deficiency was investigated. A glycogenic dose of labeled glucose was administered by stomach tube to 24-hr fasted control and deficient animals and glycogen synthesis in liver was measured after 3 hr. The deficient animals which were on the basal diet for 6 weeks were able to synthesize the same amount of hepatic glycogen as that by the controls. A marked reduction in the level of glycogen in the livers of deficient animals compared to controls was observed during the day but there was no change in the level between the two groups when examined during the night at all stages of biotin deficiency. The observed decrease during the day was the result of diurnal variation. The results show that in the rat the synthesis of hepatic glycogen is not impaired in biotin deficiency.