The insulin extracted from a dog’s
atrophed pancreas
cured a dog, but when given to a fourteen-year-old boy
caused a severe allergic reaction. The rest of the history
of insulin is about developing a pure source for the
hormone
to make it safe for humans.
Today, insulin is made by genetically
altered E. coli.
Funny to think that insulin from a dog,
insulin from fetal calves, synthetic insulin, or insulin
from altered E. coli is still the same as the
hormone that
a healthy pancreas in any animal with a backbone secretes
but that it was so hard for chemists to tune in
this one clean
pure
life-saving
hormone.
The classic symptom of diabetes, known for many centuries, was
sugar in the urine. Insulin causes cells in the body to take up
glucose from the blood. Banting was right; an enzyme of the
pancreas destroys insulin. Working with John Macleod, Banting and
Best developed a pure form of insulin that they first called isletin.
The classic symptom of diabetes, known for many centuries, was sugar in the urine. Insulin causes cells in the body to take up glucose from the blood. Banting was right; an enzyme of the pancreas destroys insulin. Working with John Macleod, Banting and Best developed a pure form of insulin that they first called isletin.
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