Life Sciences Commons^™

Regulation Of Microvascular Flow And Metabolism: An Overview, Michelle A. Keske, Renee M. Dwyer, Ryan D. Russell, Sarah J. Blackwood, Aascha A. Brown, Donghua Hu, Dino Premilovac, Stephen M. Richards, Stephen Rattigan

Health & Human Performance Faculty Publications and Presentations

Skeletal muscle is an important site for insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. It is estimated that skeletal muscle is responsible for ~80% of insulin-mediated glucose disposal in the post-prandial period. The classical action of insulin to increase muscle glucose uptake involves insulin binding to insulin receptors on myocytes to stimulate glucose transporter 4 (GLUT 4) translocation to the cell surface membrane, enhancing glucose uptake. However, an additional role of insulin that is often under-appreciated is its action to increase muscle perfusion thereby improving insulin and glucose delivery to myocytes. Either of these responses (myocyte and/or vascular) may be impaired …