Australia is facing an increasing epidemic of type 2 diabetes. Obesity is thought to be the primary cause of diabetes. There are approximately one million people living with diabetes. The first part of this video explained how inflammation caused by type 2 diabetes destroys pancreatic cells and dramatically decreases the production of insulin. The two main problems related to insulin in type 2 diabetes are insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. Insulin resistance refers to a decreased tissue sensitivity to insulin. Normally, insulin binds to the cell receptors and initiates a series of reaction involved in glucose metabolism. In type 2 diabetes, these intracellular reactions are diminished, thus rendering insulin less effective
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The hormone insulin binds to its receptor protein on the surface of a cell and instructs that cell to take up glucose from the blood and store it as an energy source. The receptor spans the cell membrane so that it is partially outside and partially inside. Insulin binds to the receptor on the outside of the cell. Insulin is a small molecule whose structure was discovered in 1969, however, the mechanism of how insulin interacts with its receptor has been unknown until now. When insulin binds to the outer part of the receptor, it brings the two halves of the receptor together, and at the same time, the two parts inside the cell unwind and make contact. These two proteins then activate each other. This activation allows the insulin signal to enter the cell. Specialized proteins interact with the activated receptor just below the cell surface. The receptor activates these proteins and then a long signal cascade occurs where multiple proteins are activated. This complex signaling process tells the cell to take up glucose as an energy source. The long signal cascade controls the signaling process, because it can be turned on or off at many different points. In type 2 diabetes, it is believed that insulin binds to its receptor normally, however, the signal it not sent into the cell, and the signal cascade does not occur, known as insulin resistance. This means that glucose cannot enter the cell and blood glucose
The hormone insulin binds to its receptor protein on the surface of a cell and instructs that cell to take up glucose from the blood and store it as an energy source. The receptor spans the cell membrane so that it is partially outside and partially inside. Insulin binds to the receptor on the outside of the cell. Insulin is a small molecule whose structure was discovered in 1969, however, the mechanism of how insulin interacts with its receptor has been unknown until now. When insulin binds to the outer part of the receptor, it brings the two halves of the receptor together, and at the same time, the two parts inside the cell unwind and make contact. These two proteins then activate each other. This activation allows the insulin signal to enter the cell. Specialized proteins interact with the activated receptor just below the cell surface. The receptor activates these proteins and then a long signal cascade occurs where multiple proteins are activated. This complex signaling process tells the cell to take up glucose as an energy source. The long signal cascade controls the signaling process, because it can be turned on or off at many different points. In type 2 diabetes, it is believed that insulin binds to its receptor normally, however, the signal it not sent into the cell, and the signal cascade does not occur, known as insulin resistance. This means that glucose cannot enter the cell and blood glucose