title: Lung glycogen metabolism in suckling rats: a comparative study.
abstract: Glycogen metabolism was studied in lungs of suckling rats and the data was compared with that of the adult. From the data it appeared that the control of glycogen metabolism of lung tissue of suckling rats differs from that of adult lung. After a 24-hour fasting period, the lung glycogen content of 1- to 12-week-old rats was decreased (p less than 0.05). This was accompanied by an increased (10%) phosphorylase activity (p less than 0.001). In contrast to this, the lung glycogen content of adult lung increased by about 26% (p less than 0.05) while at the same time the hexokinase activity increased by about 39% and the phosphorylase activity decreased by about 65%. Also, the 1- to 2-week-old lung utilized glycogen more readily (9.00 +/- 0.04 mumol/g/h) than adult lung (3.70 +/- 0.15 mumol/g/h). This means that lung tissue of suckling rats is more dependent on glycogen than adult lung which is probably the reason for the difference in control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Maritz
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005215:Fasting; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006593:Hexokinase / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D006005:Phosphorylases / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D006003:Glycogen; D006005:Phosphorylases; D006593:Hexokinase