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Glycogen
Glycogen is a polysaccharide that is the principal storage form of glucose (Glc) in animal and human cells. Glycogen is found in the form of granules in the cytosol in many cell types. Hepatocytes (liver cells) have the highest concentration of it - up to 8% of the fresh weight in well fed state, or 100-120 g in an adult. In the muscles, glycogen is found in a much lower concentration (1% of the muscle mass), but the total amount exceeds that in liver. Small amounts of glycogen are found in the kidneys, and even smaller amounts in certain glial cells in the brain and white blood cells. Glycogen plays an important role in the glucose cycle. The most common disease in which glycogen metabolism becomes abnormal is diabetes, in which, because of abnormal amounts of insulin, liver glycogen can be abnormally accumulated or depleted.
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Health & Medicine News
December 12, 2025
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Dec. 11, 2025 Researchers discovered that nerve injuries can alter the immune system throughout the body, and males and females react very differently. Male mice showed strong inflammatory responses, while females showed none, yet both transmitted pain-inducing ...
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Dec. 11, 2025 Researchers found that both how often and how much someone drinks significantly shape their cancer risk, even at moderate levels. Vulnerability varies across groups, with genetics, socioeconomic status, obesity, and lifestyle behaviors amplifying ...
Dec. 11, 2025 Scientists discovered that the protein RPA plays a critical and previously unconfirmed role in stimulating telomerase to maintain long, healthy telomeres. When RPA malfunctions, telomeres can shorten dangerously, leading to serious ...
Dec. 11, 2025 A cutting-edge therapy using base-edited immune cells is offering a major breakthrough for patients with one of the toughest forms of blood cancer, T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. By precisely rewriting tiny sections of DNA, scientists at UCL ...
Dec. 11, 2025 Northwestern scientists have created the fastest-ever hepatitis C diagnostic, delivering accurate results in only 15 minutes. The test uses the DASH rapid PCR system, originally developed for COVID, but adapted for whole blood samples. Independent ...
Dec. 10, 2025 Scientists discovered that certain cancer cells use a low-level activation of a DNA-dismantling enzyme—normally seen in cell death—to survive treatment. Instead of dying, these “persister cells” leverage this sublethal signal to regrow. ...
Dec. 10, 2025 Obesity accelerates the rise of Alzheimer’s-related blood biomarkers far more rapidly than previously recognized. Long-term imaging and plasma data show that obese individuals experience much faster increases in proteins linked to ...
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Dec. 10, 2025 Researchers discovered that a long-misunderstood protein plays a key role in helping chromosomes latch onto the right “tracks” during cell division. Instead of acting like a motor, it works more ...
Dec. 10, 2025 A Virginia Tech study shows that ultra-processed foods may influence adolescents differently from slightly older young adults. Participants aged 18 to 21 ate more at a buffet and snacked even when ...
Dec. 10, 2025 New research is challenging one of medicine’s oldest assumptions: that cancer must be attacked to be cured. By treating glioblastoma patients with a simple combination of resveratrol and copper, ...
Dec. 10, 2025 Researchers discovered that unusually high temperatures can hinder early childhood development. Children living in hotter conditions were less likely to reach key learning milestones, especially in ...
Dec. 9, 2025 BISC is an ultra-thin neural implant that creates a high-bandwidth wireless link between the brain and computers. Its tiny single-chip design packs tens of thousands of electrodes and supports ...
Dec. 9, 2025 Microscopic fibers secretly shape how every organ in the body works, yet they’ve been notoriously hard to study—until now. A new imaging technique called ComSLI reveals hidden fiber orientations ...
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Dec. 9, 2025 Researchers discovered that a tiny structural feature of the enzyme GPX4 helps keep neurons safe. A rare mutation removes this protection, allowing harmful molecules to damage cell membranes and ...
Dec. 8, 2025 Deep-brain recordings showed that Mounjaro and Zepbound briefly shut down the craving circuits linked to food noise in a patient with severe obesity. Her obsessive thoughts about food disappeared as ...
Dec. 8, 2025 Using less ipilimumab appears to make melanoma immunotherapy both safer and more effective, with dramatically better response and survival outcomes. The findings suggest that reducing side effects ...