Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Integration of Synaptic Events

Integration of Synaptic Events

Synaptic integration mainly includes the summation of graded potentials. Graded potentials, regardless of their type, cause subtle alterations in membrane voltage, resulting in either depolarization or hyperpolarization. These incremental changes, when combined or summed, can propel the neuron toward its threshold. Consider, for example, a membrane experiencing a +15 mV shift, causing it to depolarize from -70 mV to -55 mV. In this scenario, graded potentials govern the membrane's ability to...

Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion

Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion

The pancreatic islets comprising only 1%-2% of the volume are highly vascularized and innervated mini-organs. They contain five endocrine cell types, including β cells that secrete insulin, which is synthesized as a single polypeptide chain, preproinsulin, processed to proinsulin, and finally to insulin and C-peptide. This process is complex and regulated, involving the Golgi complex, the endoplasmic reticulum, and the secretory granules of the β cell.
Insulin and C-peptide are co-secreted in...

Insulin: Biosynthesis, Chemistry, and Preparation

Insulin: Biosynthesis, Chemistry, and Preparation

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of pancreatic β-cells synthesizes preproinsulin, which consists of a signal peptide, A and B chains, and a C-peptide. Preproinsulin is then cleaved and folded into proinsulin, which translocates to the Golgi apparatus for sorting and packaging into secretory granules. In these granules, enzymatic clipping generates insulin and C-peptide.
Damage or functional impairment of β-cells inhibits insulin production, leading to diabetes. Diabetes treatment primarily uses...

Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways

Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways

Insulin action is mediated through a receptor tyrosine kinase, akin to the IGF-1 receptor. The number of receptors per cell varies significantly, from 40 on erythrocytes to 300,000 on adipocytes and hepatocytes. The insulin receptor consists of linked α/β subunit dimers, forming a heterotetramer glycoprotein with two extracellular α subunits and two β subunits spanning the membrane. The α subunits inhibit the inherent tyrosine kinase activity of the β subunits, but this inhibition is released...

Insulin Secretory Vesicles

Insulin Secretory Vesicles

Insulin secretory vesicles release insulin to stimulate blood glucose uptake and regulate carbohydrate metabolism. When the blood glucose levels increase, glucose enters the pancreatic β-islet cells through glucose transporters. Once inside, glucose is metabolized through glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain, producing ATP. This increase in ATP concentration closes ATP-sensitive potassium channels, leading to depolarization of the membrane and the opening of...

Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose

Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose

Insulin is released by beta cells of the pancreas when blood glucose levels are high. It facilitates glucose absorption and utilization in insulin-dependent cells with insulin receptors on their plasma membranes. Insulin promotes glucose uptake by increasing the number of glucose transport proteins in the cell membrane, allowing glucose to enter the cell. As a result, glucose utilization and ATP production are enhanced.
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Cardiomyocyte-Derived Apelin Rescues Viral Myocarditis-Induced Cardiac Lymphatic Dysfunction and Remodeling.

JACC. Basic to translational science·2026

Same author

Preoperative positron emission tomography for predicting postoperative epilepsy risk: A radiomics and clinical feature-based fusion model.

Seizure·2026

Same author

Improving spaces for women first responders: A grounded theory on gender equity.

PloS one·2025

Same author

Carcinogenesis Associated with Toxin Nephropathy: Proposed Mediation by Phosphate Toxicity.

Cells·2025

Same author

Childhood adversity and coping among Indigenous university students in Canada: Considerations when examining adverse childhood experiences.

Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy·2025

Same author

The CD163/TWEAK/Fn14 axis: A potential therapeutic target for alleviating inflammatory bone loss.

Journal of orthopaedic translation·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Precise Visualization of Insulin Receptors A and B in Murine Brain with an RNA In Situ Hybridization Assay

Precise Visualization of Insulin Receptors A and B in Murine Brain with an RNA In Situ Hybridization Assay

Published on: July 15, 2025

Insulin, synaptic function, and opportunities for neuroprotection.

John G Mielke¹, Yu-Tian Wang

¹Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science

|January 5, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The brain and insulin share a relationship, with insulin modulating neuronal receptors and synaptic transmission. This neural insulin signaling offers potential neuroprotection and new therapeutic avenues.

More Related Videos

Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices

Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices

Published on: October 6, 2017

Osmotic Minipump Implantation for Increasing Glucose Concentration in Mouse Cerebrospinal Fluid

Osmotic Minipump Implantation for Increasing Glucose Concentration in Mouse Cerebrospinal Fluid

Published on: April 7, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Precise Visualization of Insulin Receptors A and B in Murine Brain with an RNA In Situ Hybridization Assay

Precise Visualization of Insulin Receptors A and B in Murine Brain with an RNA In Situ Hybridization Assay

Published on: July 15, 2025

Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices

Evaluation of Synapse Density in Hippocampal Rodent Brain Slices

Published on: October 6, 2017

Osmotic Minipump Implantation for Increasing Glucose Concentration in Mouse Cerebrospinal Fluid

Osmotic Minipump Implantation for Increasing Glucose Concentration in Mouse Cerebrospinal Fluid

Published on: April 7, 2023

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Endocrinology
Molecular Biology

Background:

Traditionally, the brain and insulin were considered separate entities.
Emerging research highlights a significant relationship between brain function and insulin signaling.
Pancreatic insulin uptake and neuronal insulin biosynthesis supply neural tissue with insulin.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the relationship between the brain and insulin.
To elucidate the unique properties and functions of neuronal insulin receptors.
To investigate the role of neural insulin in synaptic transmission and neuroprotection.

Main Methods:

Investigated insulin uptake and biosynthesis in neural tissue.
Characterized the structural and functional properties of neuronal insulin receptors.
Examined the effect of insulin on ligand-gated ion channel (LGIC) trafficking and cell-surface receptor expression.

Main Results:

Neural insulin receptors possess unique properties distinct from peripheral counterparts.
Neural insulin plays a limited role in neuronal glucose transport.
Insulin modulates synaptic transmission by regulating the cell-surface expression of inhibitory and excitatory receptors.

Conclusions:

Insulin plays a crucial role in modulating neuronal function beyond glucose transport.
Insulin's regulation of receptor trafficking offers a cellular mechanism for neuroprotection.
These findings suggest novel therapeutic strategies for neurological conditions.