Glycogenolytic Action of Epinephrine on Mouse Parietal Bone

The parietal bones from the calvarium of the infant mouse have been us;d to study the glycogenolytic action of epinephrine on cartilage-free bone. Subcutaneous injection of epinephrine at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg 1 hr before removal of the calvarium caused a 40% decrease in the glycogen content and a 45% increase in the in vitro aerobic lactic acid production in mouse parietal bones, demonstrating for the first time a glycogenolytic action of epinephrine in bone. In rat calvarium, aerobic lactic acid production was increased by 67% following a 1.0 mg/kg dose of epinehrine.