An improved quantitative assay of glycogen in erythrocytes.
BACKGROUND
Current methods for the quantitative determination of glycogen in erythrocytes are unsatisfactory.


METHODS
Erythrocytes were deproteinized with perchloric acid either after haemolysing by freezing and thawing twice or without freezing and thawing, and the glycogen content was determined by an enzymatic method.


RESULTS
Freezing and thawing resulted in a significantly higher glycogen content, and the recovery of added glycogen using this method was nearly 100%. The mean erythrocyte glycogen content in healthy volunteers (n = 17) was 69.5 microg/g haemoglobin, a value much higher than the previously reported values in healthy subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Freezing and thawing improves the assay of erythrocyte glycogen.
Miwa
Ichitomo
I
Department of Pathobiochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku Nagoya 468-8503, Japan. miwaichi@ccmfs.meijo-u.ac.jp
Suzuki
Sakiko
S
D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005615:Freezing; D006003:Glycogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D006003:Glycogen