Insulin is produced by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. It consists of an A-chain of 21 amino acids and a B-chain of 30 aminoacids. Pro-insulin, the precursor of insulin, is a single polypeptide chain 1.5 times the size of insulin. It is cleaved into insulin and C-peptide which are therefore secreted in equimolar amounts. C-peptide levels reflect endogenous insulin secretion and are widely used for research purposes. About 3-5% of pro-insulin escapes the cleavage process and is secreted intact.
There are various types of insulin preparation used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus:
Commercial insulin is generally recombinant human insulin; although animal insulins are still available.
All commercial insulins come in a strength of 100 units/ml.
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