Cell Signaling Pathways: Insulin Flashcards
(89 cards)
What is a major metabolic fuel?
glucose
Circulating levels of glucose are tightly regulated through the opposing actions of principally:
insulin
glucagon
Insulin ___ glucose levels
reduces
Glucagon ____ glucose levels
raises
What does the mammalian brain depend upon as its primary/major source of energy?
glucose
Glucose is derived from what materials?
those ingested in the diet
Carbs exist as : (3)
polysaccharides
disaccharides
monosaccharides
starch and glycogen are:
polysaccharrides
sucrose, maltose, and lactose are:
disaccharides
galactose, glucose, and fructose are:
monosaccharides
What represents about 60% of the carb intake for Westerners?
starch
Carbs are broken down into what in the gut?
hexoses
Can hexoses pass freely through the cell membrane?
no
How are hexoses absorbed since they can’t pass freely though the CM?
absorbed via glucose transporters like GLUT4
Insulin released by Beta Islet cells when blood glucose is (low/high).
high
How is blood glucose regulated when it’s high?
high blood glucose –> insulin released by Beta Islet cells in pancreas (also inhibits glucagon release by Alpha Islet cells) –> increased uptake of glucose –> glucose converted into glycogen (muscle and liver) or triglycerides (adipocytes)–> normal blood glucose levels
Which organ releases insulin?
pancreas
How is blood glucose regulated when it’s low?
low blood glucose –> glucagon released by Alpha Islet cells in pancreas (also inhibits insulin release by Beta Islet cells) –> glycogen and triglycerides converted into glucose and fatty acids –> normal blood glucose levels
Type of post-translational modification that effects protein function:
phosphorylation
Is phosphorylation reversible?
yes
What can REVERSIBLY turn an enzyme or receptor on or off altering its function?
phosphorylation
What does reversible phosphorylation result in?
conformational change in structure of enzymes and receptors causing them to become activated or deactivated
The protein-phosphate bond is a (low/high) energy bond.
high
Where does phosphorylation occur?
specific side chains of enzymes or receptors: serine, threonine, tyrosine, histidine