Control of glycogen metabolism by insulin in isolated hepatocytes.

Isolated rat hepatocytes incubated in a simple bicarbonate buffer, previously shown to display enhanced rates of fatty acid biosynthesis upon a brief exposure to insulin, were used to study acute effects of this hormone on glycogen metabolism. In hepatocytes prepared from fed rats insulin does not increase glycogen deposition as measured chemically, but the incorporation of labelled glucose is markedly accelerated. The rate of disappearance of radioactivity from glycogen, prelabelled with D[U-14C]glucose, is lowered by insulin. In hepatocytes from starved rats insulin promotes net glycogen synthesis. All metabolic parameters studied are affected by glucagon in manner opposite to that of insulin.