Effect of histamine and histamine antagonists on the glycogen content of Tetrahymena

The glycogen content of Tetrahymena pyriformis was analysed by a cytophotometric method. Histamine and histamine antagonists were found to influence the glycogen content. It increases after acute histamine treatment, while it decreases after 4 days incubation with histamine. The H2 receptor antagonist methiamide was more effective than histamine, while the H1 receptor antagonist phenindamine had no effect on the glycogen content. The effect reflects the similarity or dissimilarity of the chemical structure of the antagonists and of histamine. Subdivision of the cytophotometric results indicated that all of the protozoa react to histamine or to its antagonists, but all agents increased the number of glycogen-rich Tetrahymena.