Question

3.) a) What would you expect with regards to fasting glucose levels in a patient that had a pancreatic tumor characterized by rapid proliferation and uncontrolled growth of b-cells? b) How about a pancreatic tumor characterized by rapid proliferation and uncontrolled growth of a-cells? 4.) If a glucose tolerance test were performed on an animal that had been treated several days before with alloxan, what results would you expect? Why? 5.) Insulin is generally administered via either intramuscular or subcutaneous (just under the skin) injections. Do you see any potential problems that might be associated with administering insulin in oral tablet form? If so, briefly discuss them. (Hint: insulin is a protein). please answer them separately!!

Answer 1

3)a) In rapid proliferating beta cells caused due to pancreatic tumor, the rate of glycolysis in the metabolism maintains the levels of various secreting hormones like glucagon,insulin and other hormones. Increases in glucose levels increases the rate of proliferation and growth of beta cells of pancreas, and the decrease in the glucose levels decreases the glycolysis and the growth and proliferation of beta cells is inhibited. The increase in the secretion of insulin from the pancreatic beta cells decreases the blood glucose levels as most of the glucose is converted to the polymer glycogen.

b)The alpha cells release the hormone glucagon which converts the glycogen polymer in liver to glucose molecules in blood and cells required for the process of metabolic glycolysis. The pancreatic tumor is the uncontrolled growth of these cells leading to increase in the secretion of glucagon ,and thus the glucose level and glycolysis increases in the cells.The growth and proliferation of the cells is activated as the glucose levels rise in the blood.

4)Alloxan chemical is used for inducing type-2 diabetes in rat models. This drug produces dialuric acid which produces free radicals like hydrogen peroxide which damages the cell membrane of the pancreatic cells and thus induces diabetes-2 disease in rat and mice models.Glucose tolerance test is conducted to analyze the levels of the glucose is the blood which will increase after the addition of alloxan due to generation of oxygen free radicals and thus producing hyperglycemia.

5)The potential problems associated with the oral intake of insulin is the problem associated with the absorption of this protein in the gastrintestinal tract. Most of the protein remains undigested and is degraded with proteases and peptidases in the digestive system and second problem is the bioavailability issues associated with the oral intake of the insulin drug. The concentration and amount of insulin available is an important factor in deciding the intake of the insulin in oral form. The tolerance levels of the insulin in blood is also an important factor in determining the metabolism of the body.