Isolation, characterization and glucose metabolism of glycogen cells (=vesicular connective-tissue cells) from the labial palps of the marine mussel Mytilus edulis

A method has been developed to isolate glycogen cells (=vesicular connective tissue cells) from the labial palps of the marine mussel Mytilus edulis L. These cells have a modal density of 1.14 g ml-1 and this property has been exploited to separate them from pronase-dissociated cell dispersions by density-gradient centrifugation. The isolated cells were mainly spherical, with a small peripheral nucleus. The quasitotality of the cell was filled with β-like glycogen particles with cellular organelles being limited to the cell periphery. The major recipients of [U-14C] glucose-derived carbon were glycogen and amino acids. Only small quantities of 14C radiolabel were recovered from lipids, protein and CO2. Glucose incorporation into glycogen increased linearly over 6 h and showed saturation kinetics with respect to exogenous glucose concentration.