Diabetes and Insulin
The failure to make insulin or insufficiency of insulin is termed as Diabetes mellitus. Insulin is a natural hormone which controls the level of the sugar glucose in the blood. Insulin allows cells to use glucose for energy. Cells cannot utilize glucose without insulin. Excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream, increasing the risk of diabetes. Glucose is the body's primary source of fuel. Insulin enables the body cells to take glucose from the bloodstream. The cells might use glucose for production of energy if required, or it is sent to the liver to preserve it, in the form of glycogen.
Functions of Insulin
In addition to its role of regulating glucose metabolism, insulin also
- Stimulates lipogenesis
- Diminishes lipolysis
- Increases amino acid transport into cells
- Modulates transcription
- Altering the cell content of numerous mRNAs
- Stimulates growth
- DNA synthesis
- Cell replication
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