Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2026

Extracellular Glucose Depletion as an Indirect Measure of Glucose Uptake in Cells and Tissues Ex Vivo
Published on: April 6, 2022
Examining the mechanisms of glucose regulation
1Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX, USA. Curtis.Triplitt@uhs-sa.com
Abstract:
The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) increased by 49% between 1990 and 2000, reaching nearly epidemic proportions. In 2010, DM (type 1 or 2) was estimated to affect nearly 30% (10.9 million) of people 65 years and older and 215,000 of those younger than 20 years. Macrovascular and microvascular complications can occur; DM is a major cause of heart disease and stroke, and is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Based on 2007 data, the economic impact of DM is considerable, with total costs, direct medical costs, and indirect costs estimated at $174 billion, $116 billion, and $58 billion, respectively. Normal glucose regulation is maintained by an intricate interaction between pancreatic β-cells (insulin/amylin), pancreatic α-cells (glucagon), and associated organs (eg, intestines, liver, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue). Newly elucidated mechanisms include the involvement of the kidneys in glucose regulation, as well as central glucose regulation by the brain. The central defects in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are decreased insulin secretion, glucoregulatory hormone deficiency/resistance, and insulin resistance, resulting in abnormal glucose homeostasis. This article provides an extensive review of mechanisms involved in physiologic blood glucose regulation and imbalances in glucose homeostasis.
Related Concept Videos
Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
Insulin and C-peptide are co-secreted in...
Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...
Glucose Absorption Into the Small Intestine
Hyperglycemia

