INSULIN

Hormone
DESCRIPTION
Insulin is a small protein
It is also an essential hormone produced in the pancreas
It is made up of 2 polypeptide chains: subunit A, which
contains 21 amino acids, and subunit B, which contains 30
amino acids
The process in which it is created is as follows. The insulin
gene is expressed in beta cells in the pancreas. When this
takes place, pre-mRNA called proinsulin is made. It is a
polypeptide chain that contains both subunits. Subunit A and B
are then cut out from the proinsulin by polypeptide specific
proteases and put together to form insulin.
PROINSULIN STRUCTURE
INSULIN STRUCTURE
FUNCTION
The main function of insulin is to allow the body to use or store
glucose from sugars ingested in food by controlling blood
glucose in the body
Glucose levels in the bloodstream are tightly regulated by
insulin such that glucose production in the liver matches
glucose uptake of cells
Insulin very important in metabolism as it allows cells in
muscles, liver, and fat (adipose cells) to take in sugar or
glucose in the blood stream for use in providing these cells
with energy
Moreover, it allows glucose to be converted into fat for energy
storage, it regulates the formation of fatty acids in the liver,
and inhibits the breakdown of lipids, proteins, and glycogen
FUNCTION
As insulin is a hormone, it is a chemical messenger produced
in a part of the body (pancreas) to cause or create an action in
another part of the body
It can cause two different actions, an excitatory action and an
inhibitory action
As an excitatory hormone, insulin stimulates the uptake of
glucose as well as the synthesis of lipids
As in inhibitory hormone, insulin inhibits the breakdown of
lipids, proteins, and glycogen
PROCESS
When the body ingests food with glucose, glucose levels in the
blood plasma rise
Beta cells in the pancreas are specially designed to detect this
increase in glucose and as an effect, the uptake and
metabolism of the beta cells are increased
In response to these, beta cells secrete insulin into the
bloodstream where it can cause its inhibitory and excitatory
actions
In cells, insulin binds to insulin receptors. This causes GLUT4
transporters from inside the cell to come up to the surface or
cell membrane
These GLUT4 transporters allow facilitated diffusion to happen,
taking in glucose from the bloodstream
EFFECTS
Too much Insulin:
Cells will take in too much glucose from the blood
This leads to very low glucose levels in the blood,
causing hypoglycemia
Prolonged low levels of insulin in the blood causes
feelings of weakness, fatigue, and dizziness (low blood
sugar)
This is because nerve cells are almost entirely dependent
on glucose for energy (unlike other cells) therefore low
levels of glucose could impair nerve functions
EFFECTS
Too little Insulin:
Cells take in too little glucose from the bloodstream
This condition is often called hyperglycemia and/or
diabetes
Because of increased glucose levels in blood, the body
attempts to remove this through urine which can cause
dehydration
Moreover, the inability of cells to take in glucose means
that cells are unable to perform functions that require
energy causing tiredness, weight loss, and possibly
illness
EFFECTS
Too little Insulin:
Type 1 Diabetes: Unable to make insulin because there
are no beta cells in the pancreas
Type 2 Diabetes: Insulin production is reduced because
beta cells are damaged or limited in number or because
insulin receptors on cells stop responding insulin
RECENT STUDY ON INSULIN
Harvard researchers have recently (2014) been able to
produce large amounts of beta cells (insulin producing cells)
They used embryonic stem cells as a starting point and
caused it to differentiate into pancreatic beta cells
These cells are almost exactly identical to naturally occurring
beta cells in human bodies
This new advance will greatly help in the treatment of Type 1
Diabetes, replacing insulin injections, as the large quantities
can be transplanted into humans, creating a more permanent
solution or treatment to diabetes
SOURCES
http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-1-diabetes/what-
insulin
http://bio.davidson.edu/Courses/Molbio/MolStudents/spring2010/
Holzwarth/Insulin.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/whatisinsulin.php
http://weill.cornell.edu/biochem/mcgraw/insulin-regulated.html
http://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/insulin.aspx
http://hsci.harvard.edu/news/stem-cells-billions-human-insulin-
producing-cells
http://diabetesmanager.pbworks.com/f/figure1a%20%26%20b.gif
http://www.mdbioproducts.com/sites/default/files/images/
Insulin_ELISA_MDBiosciences.jpg