Chemistry

This essay is a review paper on the article Insulin by Nanette M. Wachter. The author of the article Insulin deals briefly about the various aspects of Insulin, namely- history, source, structure, manufacturing process, metabolic function and the clinical importance.  The article is well structured, written in a concise, coherent and impressive manner. The Chemical structure of Insulin is given in a pictorial form for easy understanding. This article is useful for beginners of Biochemistry and for all laymen for getting a grasp of the subject.

This article gives important information about Insulin. It covers details like The discovery of Insulin, natural and commercial sources of Insulin, its Chemical structure, and Biological functions.  The article also deals briefly about the causes of different types of Diabetes and the importance of Insulin in combating Type 1 Diabetes. The different formulations and the mode of administering the insulin are also discussed.

Insulin is a Biochemical which controls the metabolism of Glucose in animals including humans. It is a hormone, and is classified as a protein. Structurally, it is a cyclic peptide, having 51 amino acids, arranged in two chains, A and B, and the chains are linked by two disulphide bridges formed out of the Cysteine amino acids of both the chains. It is produced by the beta cells of pancreas.

Role of Insulin in metabolism of Glucose
Insulin, released to the blood stream by pancreas at the instance of rise of blood glucose, binds to the Insulin receptors on the cell membrane releasing the glucose transporter protein to
the surface of the cell membrane then the glucose transporter protein carries the glucose

molecule to the interior of the cells, for further metabolism. Thus in the absence of Insulin, glucose cannot be transported to the cells and the cells will starve of glucose. Hence, the failure of pancreas to produce insulin results in development of Type 1 Diabetes. Prior to its discovery in 1920s by a team consisting Frederick Grant Benting, John James Richard Macleod and Charles Best, there was no remedy for people having Type 1 Diabetes and this deficiency disease, caused by auto immune disorder, resulted in fatality with in a few years of onset.

Soon after its discovery, insulin was recovered from pancreas of cows and pigs for clinical use. Now human Insulin is produced by recombinant DNA Techniques. Current effort of mass production of human insulin is based on genetic engineering using bakers yeast having human genes.

In Type 2 Diabetic persons, though the pancreas produces Insulin, there is resistance in the tissues to insulin and hence glucose is not metabolized properly, resulting in Diabetes 2.

Insulin is a typical Bio chemical. It is found in living organisms (animal), and is synthesized by the beta cells of pancreas. The article deals with the Chemical structure, source, synthesis (natural and commercial), functions, and biochemical mechanism of its activity.

Though the article does not cover the subject extensively, nevertheless, it is informative. It deals with the relevant details connected to the deadly diseases  Diabetes. The details are given in an arranged, coherent and convincing manner. The data given are all useful and reliable.

The diagram of the structure of Insulin is very simple and easily understandable. We can
recommend this article to students (beginners) of Bio chemistry and to laymen for giving them a grasp of the basic knowledge about Diabetes and the relationship it has got with Insulin.