Role of Glycosyl Phosphoinositides in Insulin Action

Abstract

Following its interaction with a specific cell-surface receptor, insulin elicits diverse metabolic effects on cells, including modulation of transport of molecules across the plasma membrane, levels of cyclic nucleotides, activities of key enzymes in intermediary metabolism, rates of protein synthesis, DNA and RNA synthesis (including specific gene expression), and cellular growth and differentiation. The coordination of these distinct cellular processes by insulin differs with respect to cell type, state of differentiation of the cell, the insulin dose response, and time course. This suggests that insulin action involves a network of biochemical signals or a bifurcation of an early signaling pathway.