Lighting up insulin action.
Understanding the mechanism of insulin action remains one of the most important challenges in modern medical biology. Recent advances in cell imaging techniques, increased processing power of computers and the internet, and the introduction of novel fluorescent reagents such as green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) have revolutionized our ability to scrutinize insulin action by time-lapse microscopy at the single-cell level. This article outlines some of the advances made in the authors' laboratory, with particular reference to imaging the movements of the insulin-sensitive glucose transporter, GLUT4, and the generation of phosphoinositide lipids.
Tavaré
J M
JM
Department of Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. j.tavare@bristol.ac.uk
Fletcher
L M
LM
Oatey
P B
PB
Tyas
L
L
Wakefield
J G
JG
Welsh
G I
GI
D000818:Animals; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000502:physiology; D014162:Transfection
D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D007328:Insulin; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; C495692:SLC2A4 protein, human; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D011972:Receptor, Insulin