glucose and insulin physiology Flashcards
what are normal glucose levels?
4-6mmol/L
8mmol/L post-prandial (2 horus after eating)
what cannot substitute glucose, hence making delivery critical?
CNS
how much glucose is lost from the kidneys a day?
<0.3g/day
what secretes glucagon?
alpha cells of Islets of Langerhans
what is insulin secreted from?
beta cells in the Islets of langerhans in the endocrine pancreas
what does insulin do to blood glucose levels and what is it secreted in response to?
- lowers glucose levels
- secreted in response to a glucose load
what are the insulin/glucagon sensitive tissues?
liver, muscle, fat (adipocytes)
what does glucagon serve to do?
increase glucose levels — it is secreted in response to low glucose levels
when is insulin production switched off and by what?
at low levels of glucose by glucagon
the fasted state triggers the release of what?
glucagon from alpha cells
what does glucagon do?
acts on the liver to stimulate endogenous glucose production from its glycogen stores
what does relatively raised blood glucose levels stimulate?
beta cells to secrete insulin — switches off glucagon secretion
what else does insulin do apart from decreasing glucagon secretion?
- acts on insulin sensitive tissues to increase their uptake of glucose (thus lowering it from the bloodstream)
- acts on liver to switch off endogenous glucose production from glycogen
when we eat, enteroendocrine cells in SI and LI are stimulated to produce hormes, mainly what?
GLP-1
what is GLP-1 secreted in response to?
glucose and other nutrient load such as amino acids
what does GLP-1 do?
serves to stimulate insulin secretion — there are GLP-1 receptors throughout the cells in the body, but in particular on beta cells
GLP-1 is a good treatment for diabetes - there are GLP-1 receptor agonists.
GLP-1 also promotes satiety (feeling full). also used for obesity treatment.
T1DM vs T2DM
T1DM = autoimmune destruction of B cells
T2DM = defects in insulin release, sensing and/or signalling
what can cause hyperglycaemia?
- impaired insulin secretion — due to loss of beta cells (eg. autoimmune (T1D), chronic pancreatitis etc)
- impaired insulin action — due to decreased insulin sensitivity (can occur i T2D)
what does impaired section and action of insulin result in?
increase in endogenous glucose production
- mainly because of lack of insulin switching it off
- also because glucagon is inappropriately secreted
what is neonatal diabetes?
when babies are born with few or no beta cells due to a genetic mutation
hypoglycaemia in diabetics?
average of 2 episodes of symptomatic hypoglycaemia per week. on average of one episode of severe, at least temporarily disabling, hypoglycaemia, often with seizure or coma, per year
hypoglycaemia unawareness
what is what are the main transporters in glucose homeostasis?
passive glucose transporters (GLUTs) and sodium coupled/linked transporters (SGLTs)
describe GLUTs
passive — glucose binds to protein, changes its shape, allowing glucose to enter
describe SGLTs
Na+ used to drive glucose across membrane down a Na+ gradient
whcih glcusoe transporters are used on the apical and basolateral membranes, rather than just apical?
GLUTs
where are SGLT1 and 2 mainly found?
- SGLT1 — mainly located on cells in GIT, with some expression in kidney
- SGLT2 — mainly in PCT of kidney
what SGLT is a uniporter?
SGLT2 = 2 Na+ for every glucose molecule
what is Km?
Km = conc of glucose that causes saturation of transporter
SGLT2 vs SGLT1 Km
SGLT2 = Km 5mM — higher affinity
SGLT1 = Km 2mM — lower affinity
are SGLTs insulin sensitive or insensitive?
insensitive — don’t require insulin — use a high Na+ conc grad outside to facilitate glucose movement