It has been estimated that two high energy phosphate must be expended to incorporate one glucose molecule into glycogen. Why is glucose as glycogen in muscle and liver, and not just as glucose? in other words why is it advantageous for a cell to use energy to polymerize the glucose molecules?
Answers (2)
It is good to spend energy to make glycogen, so that the glucose you make isn't wasted. If you make too much glucose, it will dissolve and perhaps be excreted. Spending energy to make the glucose insoluble and able to be stored is good so that you can use the energy from glycogen later. The liver is where we store a lot of glycogen. By homeostasis, our brain will tell our body via hormones whether to make more glycogen, or break down glycogen to make glucose depending on our blood sugar level.