Function
- Key to glucose homeostasis - 'hypoglycaemic anabolic hormone':
- Liver:
- Promotes glycolysis and storage of glucose as glycogen (glycogenesis)
- Promotes conversion of glucose to triglycerides
- Muscle
- Promotes the uptake of glucose and its storage as glycogen
- Adipose tissue:
- Promotes uptake of glucose and its conversion to triglycerides for storage.
Mechanism of Action
- Binds to a specific receptor tyrosine kinase on the plasma membrane
- Increases its activity to of numerous numerous regulatory enzymes and promotes glucose transport in to cells by increasing membrane permeability