Just as smart traffic management ensures smooth vehicular movement during peak hours, our body relies on a molecular traffic system to manage the surge in glucose levels after a meal. Pancreatic β-cells play a major role in this system by taking up glucose from the blood and triggering insulin release into the bloodstream. Inside these cells, glucose uptake is managed by glucose transporters (GLUTs)—proteins that move to the β-cell surface when blood glucose levels rise and facilitate the entry of glucose into the cell to kickstart insulin release.
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
