By Deborah Taylor

 A hormone  Produced in the pancreas by the beta cells of the Islets of Langerhans  Released when sugars are in the stomach  It’s action is to allow glucose to enter the cells via the Glut 4 receptor.

 This is a you tube file that explains the mechanism very well   View this short animation before watching the Insulin Shock Video

 A disorder due to insulin imbalance  Type I – Insulin Dependent Diabetes – more serious – usually due to an autoimmune problem in the pancreas – used to be called Juvenile Diabetes – requires insulin injections  Type II – Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes – often due to insensitivity of tissues to insulin, can often be controlled with diet and exercise

 One fish will be the control.  The other fish will be exposed to insulin.  Both fish will be observed for behaviors and their activity will be recorded on the worksheet provided.  The insulin fish will be moved to glucose when it starts swimming on its side.

 What did the fish that received insulin do in the first minute or so?  What did the insulin fish do after several minutes?  At what time was the insulin fish moved to the glucose solution?  What did the insulin do to the glucose?  Why did the fish behave as it did, when in insulin a minute or so and then later?

 The video is in the lab folder and called Insulin Shock Lab  Record the activities of both fish during the entire lab video using the report sheet in your lab folder.  Turn in the report sheet in electronic format in the drop box for the “Insulin Lab”