The regional distribution of glycogen in rat brain fixed by microwave irradiation

Glycogen concentrations were measured by fluorescence enzymatic assay in rat brains fixed by focused microwave irradiation Regional glycogen concentrations varied 2.5 fold, ranging from 27.1 nmol glucosyl units/mg protein in the striatum to 52.3 nmol/mg protein in the cerebellum and 69.9 nmol/mg protein in the pons-medulla; other regions were intermediate in concentration. Since glycogen is contained primarily within astrocytes, this regional variation may reflect regional differences in astrocyte energy metabolism.