Effects of glucose oligomers on the glycogen levels of isolated hepatocytes

Isolated rat hepatocytes appear able to utilize glucose oligomers of the maltose series for the synthesis of glycogen. This utilization is expressed as a stabilization of the glycogen levels during incubation, and also as an incorporation of 14C into glycogen from 14C-labeled glucose polymers. The extent of utilization is only a fraction of that observed with glucose, and it does not appear to be affected by insulin. No extracellular hydrolysis of the polymers seems to be required prior to their uptake by the isolated hepatocytes.