Insulin

Insulin (Latin insula, "island", as it is produced in the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas) is a polypeptide hormone that regulates carbohydrate metabolism. Apart from being the primary effector in carbohydrate homeostasis, it also has a substantial effect on small vessel muscle tone, controls storage and release of fat (triglycerides) and cellular uptake of both amino acids and some electrolytes. In this last sense, it has anabolic properties. Its concentration (more or less, prsence or absence) has extremely widespread effects throughout the body.

Diseases and syndromes caused by an insulin disturbance

There are several conditions in which insulin disturbance is pathologic:

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• diabetes mellitus – general term referring to all states characterized by hyperglycemia
• type 1 – autoimmune-mediated destruction of insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas resulting in absolute insulin deficiency
• type 2 – multifactoral syndrome with combined influence of genetic susceptibility and influence of environmental factors, the best known being obesity, age, and physical inactivity, resulting in insulin resistance in cells requiring insulin for glucose absorption. This form of diabetes is strongly inherited.
• other types of impaired glucose tolerance (see the diabetes article)
• insulinoma or reactive hypoglycemia