Renal glycogen content and hormonal control of enzymes involved in renal glycogen metabolism

Fetal rat kidney showed glycogen deposition that reached a maximal value of 60 micrograms . mg prot-1 on day 18 and declined there-after. At birth glycogen concentration is reduced (20 micrograms . mg prot-1) but higher than adult one (cortex, 2.2 micrograms . mg prot-1 and medulla, 3.4 micrograms . mg prot-1). From day 17 to the birth, glycogen synthetase and phosphorylase activities increased slowly except for acid glucosidase activity which increased rapidly between day 18 to the birth (3-fold). Corticosteroid deprivation had no effect upon glycogen content but fetal decapitation on day 16 reduced glycogen content in kidney of 19-day-old fetuses.