Glycogenosis is defined as any condition in which the tissue concentration of glycogen is increased. There are currently ten recognized variants of glycogenosis that are heritable inborn errors of metabolism. The specific enzymatic defect in each of the variants is known or at least suspected. In all cases, the enzymatic defect prevents the proper metabolism or formation of the glycogen molecule. The clinical and histologic differences between the types of glycogenosis is important to a proper diagnosis after the presence of such a condition is realized. This study was initiated to examine the ultrastructure of the rare Type IV Glycogenosis (Amylopectinosis) of which there is very little morphologic characterization in the literature.Liver tissue was obtained by needle biopsy from a 12-month-old Oriental female who was originally admitted to the hospital after observation of poor development, loss of appetite, and hepatomegaly. The majority of the tissue was fixed for light microscopy in neutral buffered formalin and processed using routine and special staining procedures (reticulin, trichrome, iron, copper, PAS, PAS-diastase and PAS-pectinase.
