The histochemical evaluation of the glycogen storage diseases. A review of techniques and their limitations

Synopsis Histochemical techniques have been applied to biopsies of liver and muscle in cases of glycogen storage disease in order to demonstrate the presence of glycogen and the various enzymes which are involved in the degradation and synthesis of glycogen. This review of techniques is based on the examination of tissues from a group of patients with glycogen storage disease, and the results have been correlated with biochemical assays on the same tissues. It is possible to differentiate between the various forms of glycogen storage disease with the exception of Types III and VI which, due to the vagaries of the phosphorylase reaction, have very similar staining characteristics. The techniques have also been applied successfully to blood films from which considerable information can be obtained.