Human insulin, crucial for regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism, is produced within the body by specialized cells.
The Production Process
- Location: Human insulin is produced by beta cells of the pancreas.
- Synthesis: Within these beta cells, insulin is initially synthesized as a single polypeptide precursor called preproinsulin. The reference indicates this complex process occurs specifically in the pancreatic beta cells.
- Composition: The mature human insulin molecule consists of 51 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 5808 Da.
In summary, human insulin production is a complex process that begins within the beta cells of the pancreas, where preproinsulin is synthesized.