The ultramicrodetermination of glycogen in liver. A comparison of the anthrone and reducing-sugar methods

Abstract

Methods for the detn. of /ig. quantities of glycogen were developed, enabling a single liver biopsy sample to furnish sufficient material for other analyses as well. Conditions for the colorimetric detn. with anthrone were modified to be applicable to quantities as low as 1 [mu]g., and the [mu]g. re-ducing-sugar method using ferricyanide oxidation and ceric sulfate titration was simplified. Testing the methods with mouse and rat liver samples, the reducing sugar method showed somewhat greater precision. Variation of glycogen from site to site within one lobe of liver was not great, but was sufficient to make the greater precision unimportant.