Question

discuss the role of insulin in energy storage and glucose regulation

Answer 1

Insulin primarily is a hormone which is secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas.They are involved in the regulating the blood glucose levels in an individual.

Insulin in energy storage

Energy in body is provided primarily by the glucose through various process such as glycolysis , Krebs cycle etc . Now the storage of energy is associated with the storage of glucose and this glucose is stored in the form of glycogen. The process of formation of glycogen from glucose happens in the presence of insulin in a process called glycogenesis which occurs in the liver .

The role of insulin in this process is that it activates the various enzymes that is involved in glycogen synthesis like glycogen synthase and phosphofructokinase.

Insulin in glucose regulation

The role of insulin in the process of glucose regulation happens in two ways

a)Insulin facilitates the uptake of glucose by the cells for energy production when the levels of blood glucose are increased . It is in the presence of insulin that the glucose receptors uptake glucose into the cells for the energy generation process .

b) When the required energy is being synthesized in the body,insulin;as mentioned earlier mediates the convention of glucose to glycogen where energy is stored so that later it may be used for the production of energy.