PBL 6 Flashcards
What are the 5 types of cell present in the islets of langerhans and what do they secrete?
Alpha cells - secrete glucagon Beta cells - secrete insulin Delta cells - secrete somatostatin Epsilon cells - secrete ghrelins PP cells - secrete pancreatic polypeptide
What is the function of pancreatic polypeptide?
Promotes GI fluid secretion
Promotes satiety signals (feeling full)
What effect does somatostatin have on insulin and glucagon?
It inhibits their secretions
What is the normal range for glucose levels in the body?
3.5 - 8.0mmol/L
Which transporter is responsible for glucose uptake in the brain?
GLUT-3
How is insulin synthesised from preprohormone?
Where is it packaged?
Preprohomrone is cleaved in the endoplasmic reticulum to form proinsulin
Proinsulin is further cleaved in the Golgi apparatus to form insulin
Packaged in secretory vesicle granules
How is insulin secreted in response to high glucose levels?
Glucose is taken into beta cells though GLUT2 transporters
Glucose is phosphorylated to glucose-6-phosphate
Glucose-6-phosphate is oxidised to form ATP
ATP inhibits the ATP sensitive K+ channels of the beta cell
This depolarises the beta cell membrane
Depolarisation of the cell opens voltage gated calcium channels
An influx of calcium stimulates the fusion of vesicles containing insulin with the cell membrane
Insulin is secreted by exocytosis
What effect does the action of noradrenaline have on insulin secretion?
It inhibits secretion of insulin
Apart from high glucose levels, what other factors can stimulate insulin secretion?
Amino acids
Incretins
Growth hormone
What is the plasma half life of unbound insulin?
6 minutes
What is the structure of the insulin receptor?
Four subunits held together by disulphide linkages:
Two alpha subunits - outside the membrane where insulin binds
Two beta subunits - lie inside the membrane and protrude into the cytoplasm
Where does insulin bind to on its receptor?
To the alpha subunits
What happens when insulin binds to its receptor?
Autophosphorylation of the intracellular beta subunits
This activates local tyrosine kinase
Tyrosine kinase causes phosphorylation of IRS
IRS signalling causes fusion of GLUT4 transport protein vesicles with cell membrane
This facilitates glucose uptake into the cell
What is the only organ in the body that doesn’t require insulin for glucose uptake?
The brain
How does citrate activate fatty acid synthesis?
By activation of acetyl coA carboxylase which converts acetyl coA to malonyl co A
How can insulin deficiency lead to the development of atherosclerosis?
In the absence of insulin, fat breakdown for energy is enhanced
Conversion of fatty acids into phospholipids and cholesterol
These are discharged into the blood as lipoproteins
These can lead to the development of atherosclerosis
What are the two incretins (gut hormones) released following a meal which stimulate insulin release
Glucagon like peptide (GLP-1)
Glucose dependant insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)
What effect do incretins have on insulin release?
They promote insulin release
How does glucose reabsoption at the proximal tubule occur?
Na+K+ pump sets up sodium gradient at the basolateral membrane
Na+ brings glucose into cell via SGLT1/2
Glucose diffuses out at basolateral membrane through GLUT1/2
What are the typical acute symptoms of diabetes?
Polyuria
Thirst
Feeling very tired
Weight loss
What is the overall prevalence of type II diabetes in the UK?
2-3%
In which ethnicities is type II diabetes more likely?
South Asian
African
Caribbean
What happens in an oral glucose tolerance test?
You give the patient glucose and then measure glucose concentration 2 hours afterwards
What happens in a fasting plasma glucose test?
Patient doesn’t eat or drink anything but water for 8-10 hours
Why is measured glycated Hb a more accurate measure of glucose concentration?
Can get an overall picture of the last 3/4 months
What is the difference between type I and II diabetes?
Type I - inability to produce insulin
Type II - resistance to insulin