On the glycogen in the epithelium of the fetal intestine

In the first half of pregnancy the well-known occurrence of glycogen incorp oration in the supra- and infranuclear cytoplasm of the villous enterocytes was verified. This enormous glycan store is evidently of very little funct ional importance. It seems to be an expression of a disordered glycogenolys is. These masses of glycogen are incorporated into impressive glycogenosome s, which are the predominante cytoplasmic inclusions for a short period of time. According to the present results it is not certain whether lysosomal glycogenolysis happens. There is no morphological or functional evidence fo r a utilization og glycogen.