Question

What are the metabolic effects of insulin?

Answer 1

Insulin:

1. Insulin is a hormone that allows glucose in the blood to enter cells, providing them with the energy they need to function. A lack of insulin is a major factor in the development of diabetes.
2. To maintain glucose homeostasis within the body, pancreatic beta cells function as a self-contained system, secreting insulin in response to changes in blood glucose concentration.
3. The metabolic effects of insulin are as follows:
   1. Insulin allows glucose to enter cells and be converted to glycogen. Activates the breakdown of glucose while suppressing gluconeogenesis.
   2. Insulin increases fat synthesis in adipose tissue and the liver, lowering glycerol levels, which serve as a starting material for gluconeogenesis.
   3. Insulin stimulates the transport of amino acids into cells and the synthesis of protein in muscle cells, lowering the levels of amino acids available in the liver for gluconeogenesis.