Effect of cortisol on liver glycogen concentrations in hypophysectomized, adrenalectomized and normal foetal lambs during late or prolonged gestation

Abstract

1. The changes in liver glycogen concentration in normal, adrenalectomized and hypophysectomized foetal lambs have been examined during the last third of gestation using a biopsy technique to remove one or more samples of liver from the same foetus at different gestational ages. 2. The rate of glycogen deposition increased sharply from about 130 days' gestation in normal lamb foetuses whereas after hypophysectomy or adrenalectomy liver glycogen concentrations remained low even when gestation was prolonged. 3. I.V. infusions of cortisol (4-10 mg/day) for 52 hr resulted in four- to fivefold increases in liver glycogen in all three groups of foetuses. The level of glycogen in the liver appeared to be related to log plasma corticosteroid concentration in all foetuses whether they had received cortisol infusions or not. 4. Little or no change occurred in glycogen concentration in other foetal tissues apart from a decrease in the glycogen levels in peri-renal fat of adrenalectomized and hypophysectomized foetuses after cortisol infusion. There were also no detectable changes in foetal plasma lactate, urea or alpha amino nitrogen following the cortisol infusions. Foetal plasma glucose values rose slightly but this change was significant only in the adrenalectomized group. 5. The 52 hr cortisol infusions to the foetus resulted in a slight but significant fall in maternal plasma progesterone in the last few hours of the infusion period.