Effects of mammalian ACTH on liver and muscle glycogen levels in the South American caiman ( Caiman sclerops)

• Published in: General and comparative endocrinology Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 1 - 6
• Main Author: Gist, Daniel H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.1972
• Subjects: Adrenal Glands - anatomy & histology; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - pharmacology; Animals; Body Weight; Feeding Behavior; Female; Food Deprivation; Freshwater; Glycogen - metabolism; Liver - anatomy & histology; Liver Glycogen - metabolism; Male; Mammals; Muscles - metabolism; Organ Size; Reptiles - metabolism; Seasons
• DOI: 10.1016/0016-6480(72)90001-9
• ISSN: 0016-6480

The effects of feeding, starvation, and mammalian ACTH administration upon liver and muscle glycogen stores were studied in the South American caiman ( Caiman sclerops). The concentration of glycogen in the liver and muscle was not affected by 20 days of starvation, but the liver weight to body weight ratio was significantly reduced in the starved caimans. Administration of mammalian ACTH to starved caimans had no effect upon the levels of muscle glycogen, but did elevate the concentration of glycogen in the liver to varying degrees: statistically significant increases in liver glycogen levels were observed in response to mammalian ACTH in experiments conducted during July and October, but not in identical experiments conducted during February or May, suggesting that the ability of the liver to form glycogen or to respond to ACTH may vary annually or at some other interval. ACTH resulted in a significant increase in the adrenal weight to body weight ratio.