The metabolism of carbohydrate by liver of the domestic fowl

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Abstract
Slices of liver from the domestic fowl metabolize fructose with an increased O2 uptake, in contrast with mammalian liver where fructose metabolism does not increase the 02 uptake. Fructose metabolism by fowl liver was not affected by glucose added in a tenfold excess and was only slightly inhibited by glucosamine at concentrations almost completely suppressing glucose metabolism. In a HCO3-buffered medium the metabolism of fructose was accompanied by a steady gas output not wholly accounted for by the formation of lactic acid. Determination of the respiratory quotient, R.Q., showed that slices of fowl liver from fed birds metabolized fructose with a R.Q. of 1.10. This occurred in both laying and non-laying pullets. Liver from the cockerel yielded essentially similar results. Slices of pigeon liver, though showing an increased oxygen uptake with fructose, did not metabolize the sugar with a R.Q. greater than 1.0. Fowl liver has been shown to possess sorbitoldehydrogenase activity though slices do not show an increased respiration in the presence of sorbitol. The results are discussed in relation to known pathways of fructose metabolism in mammalian liver.

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