What is insulin

Definition, production process,

and applications

BY:
TUMUHAIRWE PHIONAH 2000700409
AYEBALE CHARITY 2000700412
Definition
 Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels by
facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells for energy metabolism.

 It is a protein hormone composed of two polypeptide chains linked by disulfide bonds.

Insulin structure
 Cont’d…
 In the human body, Insulin is made by special cells in the pancreas called beta cells. When the
body needs insulin, a signal is sent to the beta cells to start making it.

 As technological advancements progressed and lifestyles evolved, there arose an increased

demand for insulin on a large scale. Initially, traditional methods were employed for insulin
production like extracting insulin from animal pancreas.

 However, as the need grew more urgent and sophisticated, innovative technologies such as
recombinant DNA technology were used.
 Cont’d…
 This allowed for the mass production of human insulin using genetically engineered
microorganisms, ensuring consistent quality, purity, and availability of insulin for large-scale
applications.

 Biosynthetic human insulin is a type of insulin made in a laboratory that closely mimics the
insulin naturally produced by the human body.

 Human insulin made by Recombinant DNA technology gained wider acceptance due to its
similarity to natural insulin and reduced risk of allergic reactions.
Insulin production process
 Selection of Host Organism: A suitable host organism,
often a bacterium like Escherichia coli (E. coli) or a yeast
such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is chosen.
 Gene Cloning: The human insulin gene is isolated from
human DNA and then cloned into a plasmid, which is a
small, circular DNA molecule that can replicate
independently within the host organism.
 Transformation: The recombinant plasmid carrying the
insulin gene is introduced into the host organism through
transformation.
Cont’d…

 Fermentation: Transformed host cells are grown in

bioreactors or fermentation tank under controlled
conditions to express the insulin gene and produce
insulin.

 Harvesting: when a desired amount of insulin has been

produced by the host cells, the fermentation process is
stopped, and the cells are harvested from the bioreactor.
This can involve centrifugation or filtration to separate
the cells from the culture medium.

 Purification: The harvested cells are then subjected to

purification processes to isolate and purify insulin from
other cellular components and contaminants.
APPLICATIONS OF INSULIN
• Type 1 diabetes treatment: insulin is mainly
used to treat type 1 diabetes, where the body does
not produce enough insulin. People with type 1
diabetes rely on insulin injections to regulate their
blood sugar levels.

• Type 2 diabetes: although type 2 diabetes is

primarily managed through lifestyle changes and
other medications, insulin may be used if insulin
levels remain low despite other treatments.
• Gestational diabetes treatment • Diabetic ketoacidosis treatment
• Hyperkalemia: in emergency situations where high levels of potassium
are present in blood, insulin can be used along with glucose to help
lower potassium levels by promoting its uptake into cells.

• Insulin may be used in treatment of certain endocrine disorders such as

acromegaly or crushing syndrome, where insulin resistance or
impaired glucose tolerance is present.

• Research and development: insulin continues to be a focus of research

for potential applications in conditions beyond diabetes, such as
Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
Non-diabetic uses of insulin
• Wound healing

• Parenteral nutrition

• Cell culture

• Organ preservation

• Management of septic shock

• Cancer treatment

• Body building

• Antiaging
Examples of industries

• Abacus pharmaceuticals

• Cipla quality chemical industries limited

• Kampala pharmaceutical industries

Refference
• https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/fromdnatobeer/exhibition-intera
ctive/recombinant-DNA/recombinant-dna-technology-alternative.html
• Baeshen, N.A., Baeshen, M.N., Sheikh, A. et al. Cell factories for insulin
production. Microb Cell Fact 13, 141 (2014). https://
doi.org/10.1186/s12934-014-0141-0
• Benni, J. M. and P. A. Patil (2016). "Non-diabetic clinical applications
of insulin." Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and
Pharmacology 27(5): 445-456.