The Fructose Induced „Glycogenosis“. III. Histochemical and Morphometrical Studies of Glycogen Metabolism in Mouse Liver after Fructose Overload

Introduction: After feeding fructose for 7 days rat liver cells show an accumulation of glycogen, a high activity of glucose-6-phosphatase combined with a SER- and RER-reduction. This result was reviewed by mouse liver cells using histochemical and morphometrical methods.

Material and Methods: 60% fructose in drinking water was given mice as only nutritional source. Controls had free access to Altromin-R-standard diet and drinking water. Glycogen and glycogen metabolizing enzymes are demonstrated in the course of an 1–14 days fructose diet. After a 7 days diet liver tissue was analysed morphometrically.

Results and discussion: Feeding of fructose leads to a high glycogen content, combined with a high activity of glycogen-phosphorylase and glucose-6-phosphatase in the liver parenchyma of mouse. Glycogen-synthetase activity falls to a low level. The SER and RER and the peroxisomes are reduced. The single volume of the hepatic nucleus is decreased and the hepatocellular chondrioma is transformed in a smaller number of larger mitochondria. Compared with the rat the analysed organelles and enzymes of mouse liver show only slight quantitative differences. The increase of glucose-6-phosphatase and simultaneous reduction of endoplasmic reticulum-membranes is illustrated by the dynamic structure of endoplasmic reticulum-membranes, which adapt to metabolic changes. The variable turnover of different parts of endoplasmic reticulum-membranes seems to be very important.