Glycogen storage in rat liver and skeletal muscle in thermal trauma. I. Effect of exogenous insulin.

The storage of glycogen in skeletal muscle and the liver was investigated after a 20% third-degree burn in the rat. The glycogen storage was studied 30 min and 20 hours post-burn. Thirty minutes after infliction of the burn the storage in the liver was 80% and in the muscle 60% of that in the control animals, and 20 hours after the burn 80% and 40%, respectively. Administration of insulin improved the storage in the muscle considerably--from 60% to 90% of the normal in the 30-minute group and from 40% to 75% in the 20-hour group. It was uncertain, on the other hand, whether insulin affected the glycogen storage in the liver. Possible causes of the reduced glycogen storage are discussed, including absolute or relative insulin deficiency.