Electron microscopic studies on developing cartilage. II. Demonstration and distribution of glycogen in chick and mouse epiphyseal cartilage.

A procedure for the study of glycogen in the same cell, under both light and electron microscopes is described. The synthesis and accumulation of glycogen is a feature of chondrogenesis in the mouse epiphyseal cartilage and the amount of glycogen increases with the progress of differentiation. In contrast, no glycogen was detected in differentiating epiphyseal cartilage of the chick at any stage; except for a small amount of glycogen in the chick cartilage cells of the diaphysis. Because of this difference it is suggested that presence of glycogen is not essential for cartilage differentiation.