EFFECTS OF STORAGE-CONDITIONS INVITRO ON THE ASSAY OF CHICK LIVER-GLYCOGEN

1. The reproducibility of an enzymic method for assaying chick liver glycogen was found to be ± 1.6%. 2. Storage of liver at either —21 or —70 °C for up to 4 weeks, after freezing in liquid nitrogen, had no significant effect on glycogen concentration. However, the concentration of free glucose increased by about 50% during this time. 3. Storage of liver in ice-cold saline for up to 3 h proved unsatisfactory because of a significant loss of glycogen. 4. There was no significant difference in immediate glycogen concentration in liver tissue that was freeze-clamped, frozen in liquid nitrogen or collected into ice-cold saline. The free glucose concentration was higher, when estimated immediately after, with the latter two methods of collection of liver tissue. © 1979, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.