In the back of the left upper abdomen of the human body there is a long organ – the pancreas. It is an important digestive organ in the human body. On the one hand, it secretes digestive enzymes to digest food entering the gastrointestinal tract, and on the other hand, it secretes some protein hormones into the bloodstream to participate in the metabolism of glucose, so that glucose can be converted into energy and used by the body. This protein hormone is insulin. There is a kind of cell called beta cell in the pancreas, which is called “islet” when several beta cells are gathered together. (New research has found that intestinal mucosal cells can produce a kind of intestinal glucagon called PLA-1 under the stimulation of glucose, which can promote the release of insulin from pancreatic β cells. Through this feedback effect, our blood sugar is kept within the normal range. Hu Junming, Department of Endocrinology and Nephrology, Baicheng City Hospital
When food enters the intestine, it is partially converted into glucose by the action of glucosidase and absorbed into the bloodstream, which flows with the blood circulation to all organs of the body. However, glucose is not converted into energy at this time, and when the pancreatic beta-cells sense the signal of blood sugar, they immediately produce insulin and release it into the blood. The insulin that enters the blood quickly binds to the receptors on tissue cells such as muscle cells, liver cells, and fat cells to open the glucose channels on the cells, and the glucose in the blood rapidly enters the cells through these cellular channels and generates energy. The glucose is utilized and the blood sugar drops. So insulin is like a key and the insulin receptor is like a lock on the glucose channels. Insulin and the receptors present on the cell membranes play a vital role in the utilization of blood glucose, and a problem with any of them can lead to the development of diabetes.