Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Insulin: Biosynthesis, Chemistry, and Preparation01:25

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 Formulations: Types and Delivery01:27

Insulin Formulations: Types and Delivery

Insulin preparations are categorized by their duration of action into short-acting and long-acting types. Two strategies are used to modify insulin's absorption and pharmacokinetic profile: slowing the absorption post-subcutaneous injection, or altering human insulin's amino acid sequence or protein structure. These changes retain the insulin's ability to bind to the insulin receptor, but alter its behavior in solution or after injection.
Short-acting insulins are divided into rapid-acting...
Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists01:24

Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists

Incretins include glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), which stimulate insulin secretion post-meals. In type 2 diabetes, GIP's efficacy is reduced, making GLP-1 a viable drug target. GIP originates from preproGIP.
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by the...
Production of Pharmaceuticals01:30

Production of Pharmaceuticals

Industrial insulin production uses genetically engineered E. coli expressing a proinsulin gene controlled by a tryptophan promoter and containing a methionine linker for later cleavage. The cells also carry ampicillin resistance for selective growth. Seed cultures are stored at −80 °C and production begins by thawing a small amount to inoculate starter cultures, which are progressively scaled to a 50,000-L bioreactor. In the bioreactor, E. coli grow in nutrient-rich media under sterile, tightly...
Insulin Secretory Vesicles01:05

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...
Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways01:28

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Conformational dynamics of the membrane-anchored foldase LipH from Pseudomonas aeruginosa governs recognition and release of its client lipase.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2026
Same author

Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Carbon Dots Impart Thermosensitivity to Doxorubicin Loaded Phospholipid Liposomes.

Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

Nutrition Education in Greek Secondary School Textbooks: A Content Analysis of Coverage and Thematic Orientation.

Nutrients·2026
Same author

Bio-Derived Cellulose Nanofibers for the Development Under Environmentally Assessed Conditions of Cellulose/ZnO Nanohybrids with Enhanced Biocompatibility and Antimicrobial Properties.

Materials (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

Chemically Modified Zein- and Poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic anhydride)-Based Core-Shell Sub-Micro/Nanoparticles for Essential Oil Delivery: Antibacterial Activity, Cytotoxicity, and Life Cycle Assessment.

Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

A Novel Biosensor for Ferrous Iron Developed via CoBiSe: A Computational Method for Rapid Biosensor Design.

ACS sensors·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

Surface Engineering of Pancreatic Islets with a Heparinized StarPEG Nanocoating
05:35

Surface Engineering of Pancreatic Islets with a Heparinized StarPEG Nanocoating

Published on: June 23, 2018

Insulin complexes with PEGylated basic oligopeptides.

Dimitris Tsiourvas1, Zili Sideratou, Nikoletta Sterioti

  • 1Institute of Physical Chemistry, NCSR Demokritos, Attiki, Greece.

Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|July 27, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Biodegradable oligopeptides complexed with insulin with high efficiency (>99.5%). Arginine-based derivatives with PEGylation showed enhanced stability against enzymatic degradation and controlled insulin release, retaining secondary structure.

More Related Videos

Tracking Hypoxic Signaling within Encapsulated Cell Aggregates
09:14

Tracking Hypoxic Signaling within Encapsulated Cell Aggregates

Published on: December 16, 2011

Generation and Recovery of β-cell Spheroids From Step-growth PEG-peptide Hydrogels
09:21

Generation and Recovery of β-cell Spheroids From Step-growth PEG-peptide Hydrogels

Published on: December 6, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 20, 2026

Surface Engineering of Pancreatic Islets with a Heparinized StarPEG Nanocoating
05:35

Surface Engineering of Pancreatic Islets with a Heparinized StarPEG Nanocoating

Published on: June 23, 2018

Tracking Hypoxic Signaling within Encapsulated Cell Aggregates
09:14

Tracking Hypoxic Signaling within Encapsulated Cell Aggregates

Published on: December 16, 2011

Generation and Recovery of β-cell Spheroids From Step-growth PEG-peptide Hydrogels
09:21

Generation and Recovery of β-cell Spheroids From Step-growth PEG-peptide Hydrogels

Published on: December 6, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Protein Chemistry

Background:

  • Insulin therapy requires effective delivery systems to maintain stability and bioavailability.
  • Biodegradable oligopeptides offer potential as carriers for therapeutic proteins.
  • Polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylation can modify the properties of peptide-drug conjugates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the complexation of insulin with biodegradable oligolysine and oligoarginine derivatives functionalized with PEG.
  • To characterize the resulting insulin-nanoparticle complexes using various biophysical techniques.
  • To evaluate the stability and release kinetics of insulin from these complexes.

Main Methods:

  • Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ζ-potential measurements for nanoparticle characterization.
  • Circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for structural analysis.
  • Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to study binding interactions.
  • Enzymatic degradation assays and in vitro release studies.

Main Results:

  • High insulin complexation efficiencies (>99.5%) were achieved with all oligopeptide derivatives.
  • FTIR indicated interaction of positively charged oligopeptides with insulin's B chain C-terminus, forming nanoparticles.
  • Oligoarginine derivatives showed stronger interactions; high molecular weight PEGylation enhanced enthalpy changes and insulin stability against enzymatic degradation.
  • Insulin release rates were modulated by PEG chain length and arginine end-groups, with released insulin maintaining its secondary structure.

Conclusions:

  • Biodegradable oligolysine and oligoarginine-PEG conjugates effectively complex insulin, forming stable nanoparticles.
  • PEGylation, particularly with high molecular weight chains and arginine end-groups, enhances insulin stability and controls release kinetics.
  • These findings suggest potential for developing advanced insulin delivery systems based on these peptide-nanoparticle complexes.