Insulin, human

Insulin, hormonesecreted by the β cells of the islets of Langerhans, specific groups of cells in the pancreas. Insufficiency of insulin in the body results in diabetes. Insulin is necessary to move sugar from the blood into other body tissues where it is needed for energy. Insulin also helps the body to metabolize (process) carbohydrates, fats, and proteins from the diet. In general, insulin acts to reduce extracellular (including blood plasma) levels of glucose by interacting in some way yet unknown with various cell membranes. In adipose (fatty) tissue it facilitates the cellular uptake of glucose and its subsequent conversion to fatty acids, and it inhibits the breakdown of fatty acids to simpler compounds. In muscle it again facilitates the transport of glucose into cells and in addition stimulates its conversion to glycogen. It also increases protein synthesis in muscle. In the liver, insulin facilitates glucose catabolism and its conversion to glycogen and inhibits its synthesis from simpler compounds. Recombinant Human Insulin produced in E.Coli is a two chain, non-glycosylated polypeptide chain containing 51 amino acids and having a molecular mass of 5807 Dalton. rHuInsulin is purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques.