[Glycogen in the fetal intestinal epithelium]

In the phase of differentiated epithelium the well-known phenomenon of glycogen incorporation in the supra- and infranuclear cytoplasm of the villous enterocytes was verified. Contrary to the role of glycan in the production of pentoses for the biosynthesis of nucleic acid in embryonic cells (Sasse 1968), which display a high rate of metabolism and proliferation, this enormous glycogen store is evidently of very little functional significance. It seems to be an expression of a disordered glycogenolysis. These masses of glycogen are incorporated into impressive glycogenosomes, which are the predominate cytoplasmic inclusion for a short period of time. According to the present results it is not certain whether lysosomal glycogenolysis takes place. There is no morphological or functional evidence for a reutilization of glycogen.