Context
Sir Frederick Banting’s birth anniversary (November 14) is observed as World Diabetes Day to honor the discovery of insulin.
About Insulin:
- It is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets, and is considered the main anabolic hormone of the body.
- It regulates carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism by promoting glucose absorption from the blood into liver, fat, and skeletal muscle cells.
- In these tissues, glucose is converted into glycogen via glycogenesis, triglycerides via lipogenesis, or both in the liver.
- Insulin inhibits glucose production and secretion by the liver, helping to maintain blood sugar levels.
- Insulin also affects protein synthesis in various tissues, promoting the conversion of small molecules into large molecules.
- Low insulin levels promote catabolism, especially of body fat.
- Endocrine System and Insulin:
- The endocrine system releases hormones (chemical messengers) in minute quantities, which travel through the bloodstream to influence distant organs and tissues.
- Unlike the nervous system, which uses a network of neurons, the endocrine system sends signals without an anatomical network.
- Pancreas and Insulin:
- The pancreas is both an endocrine and exocrine organ. It plays a crucial role in blood sugar regulation through insulin production.
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM):
- T1DM is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, leading to insulin deficiency.
- It results in high blood sugar and affects children and young adults.
- Around 9 million people globally have T1DM, with an incidence of 4.9 per 100,000 annually in India (2022).
- The exact cause is unknown, but genetic and environmental factors, including viral infections, are suspected.
- Frederick Banting and Charles Best isolated insulin from the pancreas to treat diabetes.
- Recombinant DNA technology enabled mass production of human insulin by inserting the human insulin gene into E. coli bacteria, allowing for large-scale production.
Source: TH
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy:
1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for pre-school children, adolescents and pregnant women.
2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of childbirth.
3. It provides for periodic deworming. to children and adolescents.
4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
Answer: (c)