Question

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (also known as juvenile diabetes) is a form of diabetes that results from the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. Insulin is a protein hormone that is necessary for the metabolism of glucose, and a lack of insulin causes an increased level of glucose in the blood and urine. The mechanism of insulin action is illustrated below:
How does glucose travel into cells?

• A. Since a receptor protein is required for both insulin and glucose, cotransport, a form of active transport, is the likely mechanism for glucose movement through the cell membrane into the cell.
• B. Glucose requires a membrane protein to move through the cell membrane via facilitated transport because it is polar and hydrophilic.
• C. Insulin triggers the uptake of glucose by cells via simple diffusion, since glucose moves down its concentration gradient from the blood into cells.
• D. Glucose requires a membrane protein to move through the cell membrane via facilitated transport because it is polar and hydrophobic.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Glucose requires a membrane protein to move through the cell membrane via facilitated transport because it is polar and hydrophilic.

Insulin receptor present on the cell membrane triggers the opening of glucose transporter protein for intake of glucose molecules in the cell. Glucose transporter is protein that brings about facilitated diffusion of glucose molecules into the cell as glucose is highly polar and hydrophilic

So, the correct answer is 'Glucose requires a membrane protein to move through the cell membrane via facilitated transport because it is polar and hydrophilic'