INTRODUCTION

Glycogen, a branched polymeric form of glucose, is the storage form of

carbohydrates in humans and animals. It is primarily found in the muscles and tissues of
the liver. In the muscles it is the source of glucose needed for glycolysis. In liver, it is the
source needed to maintain normal glucose levels in the blood. Glycogen represents the
principal storage form of carbohydrate in the mammalian body, mainly in liver and
muscles. It is a branched homoglycan composed of -D-glucopyranose units which are
linked via two types of bonds: -1, 4 and -1, 6. Its corresponding form in plants is a
starch but glycogen is more extensively branched and more compact than starch.
Glycogen is stored mainly in liver (up to 6-8%) and muscles ( 1%). However, due to
the greater mass, muscles contain about three to four times more glycogen than the
liver. Glycogen accumulated in liver serves as a reservoir that releases glucose into the
blood when the blood glucose level falls below the normal one. Physiological glucose
concentration in blood changes within a narrow interval ranged from 4.4 to 6.7 mmol/l
(80-120 mg/dl). Glycogen accumulated in liver is sufficient to maintain glucose
concentration on the appropriate level for 12-18 hours. Glycogens role in maintaining
blood-glucose level is especially important because glucose is the major metabolic fuel
for mammals (except ruminants) and a universal fuel for the fetus. Glucose supply is
necessary especially for the nervous system and erythrocytes. Glucose is virtually the
only fuel used by the brain, except during prolonged starvation. Moreover, the glucose
from glycogen is readily mobilized and is therefore a good source of energy for sudden,
strenuous activity. Unlike fatty acids, the released glucose can provide energy in the
absence of oxygen and can thus supply energy for anaerobic activity. A decrease in the
glucose level below 70 mg/dl (hypoglycemia) causes brain dysfunction which can lead
to coma and death. Muscle glycogen is not generally available to other tissues because
muscles lack the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase. Instead of it provides a source of
energy for muscle contraction and is a readily available source of glucose for glycolysis
within the muscle itself. For glycogen to be readily available to the human body this
needs to go through the process of synthesis and degradation.

GLYCOGEN SYNTHESIS
The glycogen synthesis is a biochemical process also known as glycogenesis,
this is the metabolic pathway by which glycogen is synthesized from glucose 6phosphate. This is the formation of glycogen, the primary carbohydrate stored in the
liver and muscle cells of animals, from glucose. Glycogen comes to rescue when the
blood glucose drops down, a situation which prevails between our daily meals. The
major sites of storage of glycogen are liver and muscle. Although the glycogen content
of liver is greater than that of muscle, three quarter of total glycogen is stored in
muscles due to their mass. Glycogenesis takes place when blood glucose levels are
sufficiently high to allow excess glucose to be stored in liver and muscle cells.
Glycogenesis involves three reactions (steps) which will be further discussed in this
report.

GLYCOGEN DEGRADATION
The

glycogen

degradation

is

biochemical

process

also

known

as

glycogenolysis; this is the metabolic pathway by which glucose 6-phosphate is

produced from glycogen. This is when glycogen, the primary carbohydrate stored in the
liver and muscle cells of animals, is broken down into glucose to provide immediate
energy and to maintain blood glucose levels during fasting. This process takes place in
the muscle and liver tissue which is where glycogen is stored. The liver will then release
this free glucose into the blood stream, while the muscles will keep the glucose.
Glycogenolysis happens in the major storage organs of glycogen liver and muscle,
when the body is need of more energy or when the blood glucose is low. Glycogenolysis
is not the reversal of Glycogenesis. It is catalyzed by different set of enzymes. In this
process, the linkages between the glucose residues are broken down, forming glucose
6 phosphates or free glucose so that it could be used for producing energy.
Glycogenolysis is a two- step process which will be further discussed in this report.