Autonomic neural control of liver glycogen metabolism

Neural and humoral induction of hepatic glycogenolysis occurs via different pathways. Sympathetic nerve stimulation activates alpha adrenergic receptors to produce what is probably a cyclic AMP independent, Ca++ dependent activation of glycogen phosphorylase. Evidence suggests that phosphorylase 'a' is activated by inhibition of phosphorylase phosphatase and perhaps by activation of phosphorylase kinase. Blood borne catecholamines act via beta adrenergic receptors to produce a cyclic AMP dependent activation of phosphorylase kinase. Additionally, hepatic parasympathetic nerves can produce a dramatic shut-down of hepatic glucose output by activation of glycogen synthetase and inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase. The observed minor effect of insulin or intravenous glucose on hepatic glucose uptake compared to the effect of oral doses of glucose suggests that an additional factor other than insulin can produce hepatic glucose uptake: this factor could be, and probably is, the hepatic parasympathetic nerves. The present hypotheses result from a combination and extrapolation of whole animal physiological and in vitro biochemical data.