title: Insulin-related materials in the nervous system of vertebrates and non-vertebrates: possible extrapancreatic production.
abstract: Studies from multiple laboratories with a range of methods raised the possibility that insulin production occurs naturally at extrapancreatic sites. Part A covers the presence of insulin-related materials in organisms that do not have an endocrine pancreas, including unicellular prokaryotes and eukaryotes as well as multicellular non-vertebrate animals (insects et al.) and plants. Part B covers possible production of insulin by extrapancreatic tissues of vertebrates that are remote from a source of pancreatic insulin e.g. early chick embryos and mammalian cells in culture. Part C covers possible extrapancreatic insulin production in mammals in vivo. Each section ends with an outline summary with evidence in favor of and against the hypothesis.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D006729:Hormones, Ectopic / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007328:Insulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006729:Hormones, Ectopic; D007328:Insulin