Glucose enzymatically appearing from silk gland homogenates of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

The appearance of reducing power during incubation of silk gland homogenates of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, is due to the same manner as observed with an enzyme-substrate system. The silk gland cells play the role of an enzyme, and the liquid silk serves as a substrate. The appearance of reducing power from silk gland homogenates is due not to the specific physiological properties of the liquid silk, but to those of the silk gland cells of the silk glands during metamorphosis of the silkworm. A material with reducing power appearing during incubation of the silk gland homogenates was identified to be glucose.