Glycogen degradation by adrenergic agonists and glucagon in periportal and perivenous rat hepatocyte cultures.

The stimulation of glycogen degradation by adrenergic agonists and glucagon was determined in hepatocytes isolated from the periportal and perivenous zones of rat liver and maintained in culture. Glucagon, epinephrine and phenylephrine (an alpha-adrenergic receptor agonist) caused a greater stimulation of glycogen degradation in periportal than in perivenous hepatocytes, whereas isoproterenol (a beta-adrenergic receptor agonist) caused a similar degree of glycogenolysis in the two cell populations. The results suggest that the hormonal stimulation of glycogen degradation differs in periportal and perivenous hepatocytes.