Insulin effects on glucose utilization by human lymphocytes

In recently isolated human lymphocytes, no effect of insulin on (U-14C) glucose incorporation into CO2, triglycerides and glycogen, was found over a wide range of insulin concentration. The rates of glucose oxidation, synthesis of triglycerides and synthesis of glycogen are much lower than those observed in chicken and rat adipocytes. The authors discard the possibility of using the human lymphocyte as an instrument in the study of the insulin action on normal and altered human physiology.