Turnover of the amino sugars of erythrocyte and thrombocyte glycoproteins in rats maintained on different carbohydrate diets

The turnover of erythrocyte and platelet glycoprotein amino sugars in rats fed carbohydrates has been studied. Partial replacement of starch by sucrose results in an almost 3-fold increase in the half-life of erythrocyte glycoprotein amino sugars and in a 2-fold increase in that of platelets as early as 14 days after keeping the animals on carbohydrates. It is concluded that study of dynamic parameters of cell amino sugars can be used for evaluation of the role played by food in metabolic and adaptive reactions both in experimental animals and man.