spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif Online submission spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Raymond, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Raymond, J.

Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 198, Issue 12 2569-2573, Copyright © 1995 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Glycerol synthesis in the rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax

J Raymond

Rainbow smelt, Osmerus mordax, maintain high glycerol levels in winter to avoid freezing. After intramuscular injection of 14C-labeled glucose, [14C]glycerol was found in the blood, liver and muscle, indicating that glycogen is a source of glycerol. Levels of both the active and inactive forms of glycogen phosphorylase were higher in muscle in winter than in autumn, although the fraction in the active form did not change significantly. More of the phosphorylase was in the active form in the liver than in the muscle. Short-term starvation resulted in a significant decrease in the level of glycogen soon after the stomachs were emptied, presumably to replace glycerol lost to the water. However, tissue glycerol levels remained relatively high, despite a near depletion of glycogen reserves. Triglyceride levels increased slightly during starvation, indicating that triglycerides were not involved in glycerol synthesis. After intramuscular injection of 14C-labeled pyruvate, [14C]glycerol was found in the blood, liver and muscle, indicating a second route, presumably from muscle protein, to glycerol synthesis. Liver phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity was slightly higher in winter, possibly to assist in the conversion of pyruvate to glycerol.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
J. R. Treberg, C. E. Wilson, R. C. Richards, K. V. Ewart, and W. R. Driedzic
The freeze-avoidance response of smelt Osmerus mordax: initiation and subsequent suppression of glycerol, trimethylamine oxide and urea accumulation
J. Exp. Biol., May 15, 2002; 205(10): 1419 - 1427.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1995