Glycogen Phosphorylysis in Alloxan-Diabetic Rats

Abstract

In a previous communication¹ we reported that the rate of glucose resorption from the small intestine of alloxan-diabetic animals is increased with the degree of diabetes, and that administration of insulin brings this rate down again to its normal value. Starting from the now proved fact that the rate of glucose resorption is dependent on the rate of phosphorylation, we examined whether alloxan-diabetic rats show an increase of the rate of phosphorylation. We found that the rate of glycogen phosphorylysis in muscles of alloxan-diabetic rats was increased by 63 per cent after 15 minutes and by 69 per cent after 30 minutes incubation time. By adding insulin in vitro, the rate of glycogen phosphorylation is diminished. We were able to confirm the results of Schumann² and those of Verzár and Montigel³ that glycogen phosphorylysis in muscle of adrenalectomized rats is lowered.