Insulin is a tiny protein associated with the well-known
disease, Diabetes Mellitus. It moves rapidly through the blood from its origin
of the pancreas and is added throughout the blood after meals when the sugar
levels are high. Similar to other proteins of its size, cells would find it
difficult to fold it into a stable structure. This problem is solved when a
longer protein chain is synthesized. The “extra” is clipped off and the two
smaller chains are in the mature form. Disulfide bridges assist in continuing
to stabilize. Damage to the pancreas, aging, or obesity can lead to insufficient
insulin distribution in the body, increasing the levels of glucose in the
blood. These increased glucose levels can severely damage other organs within
the body. Glucose attaches to other proteins in the body; compromising their
function by building up and distorting the cells. The body attempts to flush
out the excess sugar in the urine, creating dehydration. The body also tries to
deliver energy in the form of other acidic molecules, which creates dangerous
pH levels in the blood. The treatment to Diabetes is physically injecting the
insulin enzyme into the blood. Pig and cow insulin are both very similar to the human enzyme and are recognized by it for proper function. With modern technology today, the tiny protein is synthesized in a lab by bioengineering.
The above picture represents the protein structure of human insulin. It is a visual of how stable insulin is due to the cluster of carbon-rich amino acids. The cluster forms the hydrophobic core, with the surface covered in amino acids favorable to water. The three bridges mentioned previously are also displayed.
http://www.pdb.org/pdb/101/motm.do?momID=14
