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Updated: Jun 20, 2025

Studying the Hypothalamic Insulin Signal to Peripheral Glucose Intolerance with a Continuous Drug Infusion System into the Mouse Brain
Published on: January 4, 2018
Insulin and the blood-brain barrier
Elizabeth M Rhea1, William A Banks1
1Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, United States; Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States.
Abstract:
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) predominantly regulates insulin transport into and levels within the brain. The BBB is also an important site of insulin binding and mediator of insulin receptor (INSR) signaling. The insulin transporter is separate from the INSR, highlighting the important, unique role of each protein in this structure. After a brief introduction on the structure of insulin and the INSR, we discuss the importance of insulin interactions at the BBB, the properties of the insulin transporter and the role of the BBB insulin transporter in various physiological conditions. We go on to further describe insulin BBB signaling and the impact not only within brain endothelial cells but also the cascade into other cell types within the brain. We close with future considerations to advance our knowledge about the importance of insulin at the BBB.
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