No, insulin is not an enzyme.
| Feature | Insulin | Enzymes |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Hormone regulating blood sugar | Catalyzes biochemical reactions |
| Nature | Protein hormone | Typically proteins (sometimes RNA) |
| Mechanism | Binds to receptors on cell surfaces | Lowers activation energy of reactions |
Insulin is a hormone, specifically a protein hormone, produced by the pancreas. Its primary role is to regulate blood glucose levels. It achieves this by binding to insulin receptors on the surface of cells, which triggers a cascade of events leading to glucose uptake from the blood.
Enzymes, on the other hand, are biological catalysts. They speed up chemical reactions within cells. Enzymes achieve this by lowering the activation energy required for a reaction to occur.
Therefore, based on its function and mechanism of action, insulin is classified as a hormone, not an enzyme. The provided reference clearly states this: insulin is not an enzyme.
