Liver glycogen content decreases during meals in rats

The effects of feeding on liver glycogen content and blood glucose in the hepatic and hepatic portal veins were investigated in rats. Liver glycogen content decreased about 25% during meals both in rats refed after 12 h food deprivation (23 +/- 1 to 17 +/- 1 mg glycogen/g liver) and in ad libitum-fed rats taking fully spontaneous meals (44 +/- 2 to 32 +/- 2 mg/g). Liver glycogen began to increase within 30 min after meals in ad libitum-fed rats. Hepatic vein blood glucose levels at meal onset (118 +/- 4 mg/dl in the food-deprived rats, 127 +/- 4 in ad libitum-fed rats) and at meal end (155 +/- 3 and 166 +/- 5 mg/dl, respectively) were similar in the two groups. Portal vein blood glucose increased during meals in the previously food-deprived rats (83 +/- 4 to 116 +/- 6 mg/dl) but not in the ad libitum-fed rats (127 +/- 5 to 132 +/- 3 mg/dl). Mechanisms that may elicit prandial glycogenolysis and the possible role of this effect in the production of meal ending satiety are discussed.