[Insulin binding to isolated cells]

Using mono-125I-insulin the hormone receptor binding on cultivated rat hepatocytes cultivated rat fibroblasts and freshly isolated adipocytes of wistar rat and man were characterized. No specific insulin binding was obtained in the case of long time cultivated hepatocytes. The fibroblasts show a low specific insulin binding with an affinity constant of K = 0.75. 10(9)M-1 and a binding capacity of q = 4000 binding sites per cell, and also an insulin response measureable by the lactate production. In agreement with a strong stimulation effect of insulin on the conversion of glucose to CO2 und triglycerides the freshly isolated adipocytes bind insulin with high affinity and capacity in comparison with the fibroblasts. For the high affinity population of insulin receptors at the adipocytes of wistar rat we found K = 2.8 . 10(9) M-1 and q = 22000 binding sites per cell, whereas 20 per cent of saturation of the receptors cause 90 per cent of the maximal stimulation effect on the bio-conversion of glucose. This shift of the binding curve to higher concentrations may be important for the ability of insulin to regulate the carbohydrate metabolism.