The Concentration of Glucose in Mammalian Liver

Data on barium-zinc filtrates of liver homogenates and of boiled liver indicate that the free glucose content of liver exceeds the blood glucose level. For instance, for boiled liver, the glucose level is 10.1, compared with a blood level of 5.4 mM/kg. Method of preparation of the tissue is important for the interpretation of the final results, as has been shown in appropriate control experiments. Various methods including paper chromatography were used to show that the reducing substance in liver is glucose. The relation of the high glucose content of liver to hexokinase activity, phosphate activity, and to glucose transport between liver cell and blood is discussed.